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| Sadie Hartley killing: Women jailed for murdering love rival | Sadie Hartley killing: Women jailed for murdering love rival |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An obsessive "she devil" who murdered a love rival in a brutal attack she plotted with a friend has been jailed for a minimum of 30 years. | |
| Sarah Williams, 35, stunned Sadie Hartley with a cattle prod and stabbed her 41 times in an "orgy of violence". | Sarah Williams, 35, stunned Sadie Hartley with a cattle prod and stabbed her 41 times in an "orgy of violence". |
| She attacked Ms Hartley, 60, at her home in Helmshore, Lancashire, in a bid to win back ex-lover Ian Johnston. | She attacked Ms Hartley, 60, at her home in Helmshore, Lancashire, in a bid to win back ex-lover Ian Johnston. |
| Williams and accomplice Katrina Walsh, 56, were both found guilty of murder and given life sentences. | Williams and accomplice Katrina Walsh, 56, were both found guilty of murder and given life sentences. |
| Walsh was ordered to serve a minimum term of 25 years for her part in the killing, described by a judge as being "planned and rehearsed down to the finest detail." | |
| 'Game of death' | |
| Jurors at Preston Crown Court deliberated for seven hours and nine minutes before returning a verdict at the end of the seven-week trial. | Jurors at Preston Crown Court deliberated for seven hours and nine minutes before returning a verdict at the end of the seven-week trial. |
| Live: Reaction to the verdict | Live: Reaction to the verdict |
| What drove a woman to kill her love rival? | What drove a woman to kill her love rival? |
| Daughter describes impact of murder ordeal | Daughter describes impact of murder ordeal |
| During the trial, prosecutor John McDermott QC described the duo as a self-styled "Batman and Robin but on the wrong side of the law". | During the trial, prosecutor John McDermott QC described the duo as a self-styled "Batman and Robin but on the wrong side of the law". |
| He said they plotted to fulfil Williams' desire to rekindle her relationship with 57-year-old Mr Johnston, which he had ended after she became "possessive and difficult", jurors heard. | He said they plotted to fulfil Williams' desire to rekindle her relationship with 57-year-old Mr Johnston, which he had ended after she became "possessive and difficult", jurors heard. |
| After dumping "obsessive and jealous" Williams, Mr Johnston began a new life with Ms Hartley - but his ex-lover and her accomplice spent 18 months plotting the "perfect murder" to win him back. | After dumping "obsessive and jealous" Williams, Mr Johnston began a new life with Ms Hartley - but his ex-lover and her accomplice spent 18 months plotting the "perfect murder" to win him back. |
| Williams, who described herself as a "she devil" and "little psycho", had sent Ms Hartley a "spiteful" letter in June 2014, claiming she and Mr Johnston had enjoyed "unbelievably fantastic sex" behind her back, but it failed to end the couple's relationship. | |
| The planning that followed was described in court as "the stuff of spy novels". | The planning that followed was described in court as "the stuff of spy novels". |
| Williams and Walsh travelled to Germany to buy the stun gun last December and, exactly a week before Ms Hartley was murdered, Walsh delivered flowers to her door in a dry run for their plans. | Williams and Walsh travelled to Germany to buy the stun gun last December and, exactly a week before Ms Hartley was murdered, Walsh delivered flowers to her door in a dry run for their plans. |
| Walsh, of Hare Lane, Chester, kept a diary as they hatched the plot, jurors were told. | Walsh, of Hare Lane, Chester, kept a diary as they hatched the plot, jurors were told. |
| 'Clinical assassination' | |
| After paralysing the "decent, hard-working" woman with the cattle prod, Williams, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, stabbed the mother-of-two "in an orgy of violence" and with "demonic savagery", the court was told. | After paralysing the "decent, hard-working" woman with the cattle prod, Williams, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, stabbed the mother-of-two "in an orgy of violence" and with "demonic savagery", the court was told. |
| Walsh helped to hide evidence, including the knife and stun gun used in the attack, at a farm. | Walsh helped to hide evidence, including the knife and stun gun used in the attack, at a farm. |
| Sentencing the pair, Mr Justice Turner said Ms Hartley had been "slaughtered like an animal" in a manner "more closely redolent of a clinical assassination than a personal killing". | |
| "Doubtless, the features of secret agent-style intrigue carried with them elements of fantasy but this was no harmless world of make-believe," he said. | |
| "It was a game of death. | |
| "Let no one believe this was a crime of passion. This was a crime of obsession, arrogance, barbarity and pure evil," he said. | |
| He said though Williams wielded the gun and knife, Walsh was a "willing, sympathetic and energetic confederate right from the outset". | |
| As the verdicts were delivered in court, Williams swallowed hard as the forewoman spoke, while Walsh gave a slight nod of her head. | As the verdicts were delivered in court, Williams swallowed hard as the forewoman spoke, while Walsh gave a slight nod of her head. |
| Ms Hartley's daughter, Charlotte, 23, wiped away tears as she sat in the public gallery next to Garry Hartley, her father and Ms Hartley's ex-husband, and her brother, Harry. | Ms Hartley's daughter, Charlotte, 23, wiped away tears as she sat in the public gallery next to Garry Hartley, her father and Ms Hartley's ex-husband, and her brother, Harry. |
| Mr Johnston, sitting a few rows behind them, had tears in his eyes and gave a slight nod as the verdicts came in. | Mr Johnston, sitting a few rows behind them, had tears in his eyes and gave a slight nod as the verdicts came in. |
| The court heard how, on the day of her death, Ms Hartley was at home alone because Mr Johnston was away on a skiing trip in the Swiss Alps. | The court heard how, on the day of her death, Ms Hartley was at home alone because Mr Johnston was away on a skiing trip in the Swiss Alps. |
| Williams, described as a "bunny boiler" and "kept woman" who was already in a relationship with a wealthy 75-year-old "sugar daddy" and having affairs with other men, had a brief fling with Mr Johnston. | Williams, described as a "bunny boiler" and "kept woman" who was already in a relationship with a wealthy 75-year-old "sugar daddy" and having affairs with other men, had a brief fling with Mr Johnston. |
| Diaries of killer's accomplice | Diaries of killer's accomplice |
| Katrina Walsh's diaries chronicled, as she put it, "the excitement of plotting the perfect murder". | Katrina Walsh's diaries chronicled, as she put it, "the excitement of plotting the perfect murder". |
| In one entry, 17 months before the crime, she wrote: "Sarah came round so got caught up in endless murder plots for Ian's other half." | In one entry, 17 months before the crime, she wrote: "Sarah came round so got caught up in endless murder plots for Ian's other half." |
| In June 2015, she continued: "Seriously talking of getting rid of her opponent ... she does seem to be a totally evil b****." | In June 2015, she continued: "Seriously talking of getting rid of her opponent ... she does seem to be a totally evil b****." |
| Two months later, she wrote: "Wow, I may get to be instrumental in helping remove the awful woman! This may happen. Wow! Am unexpectedly excited by it. Was buzzing so much I needed a Southern Comfort to wind down a bit." | Two months later, she wrote: "Wow, I may get to be instrumental in helping remove the awful woman! This may happen. Wow! Am unexpectedly excited by it. Was buzzing so much I needed a Southern Comfort to wind down a bit." |
| In September 2015, she referred to thoughts of "a hit" on a motorcycle, and also wrote of using the flag of so-called Islamic State "to mislead the investigation". | In September 2015, she referred to thoughts of "a hit" on a motorcycle, and also wrote of using the flag of so-called Islamic State "to mislead the investigation". |
| Walsh noted she did not want to be involved at the "sharp end", adding: "I have no moral qualms, just a serious don't let us get caught twinge." | Walsh noted she did not want to be involved at the "sharp end", adding: "I have no moral qualms, just a serious don't let us get caught twinge." |