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| A spiteful letter, a bouquet: the sinister prelude to Sadie Hartley's murder | A spiteful letter, a bouquet: the sinister prelude to Sadie Hartley's murder |
| (6 days later) | |
| It was a crime described by prosecutors as akin to the plot of a “spy novel”. The successful older man with a wandering eye; his lover, the younger woman driven by lust and desperation; and his partner, the innocent victim haunted by a feeling of foreboding. | It was a crime described by prosecutors as akin to the plot of a “spy novel”. The successful older man with a wandering eye; his lover, the younger woman driven by lust and desperation; and his partner, the innocent victim haunted by a feeling of foreboding. |
| But the 17 months of meticulous planning, including a trip across the continent to acquire an illegal weapon, that led to the brutal murder of Sadie Hartley were no act of whodunnit fiction – instead, they were chronicled in the real-life diary of the two women who killed her. | But the 17 months of meticulous planning, including a trip across the continent to acquire an illegal weapon, that led to the brutal murder of Sadie Hartley were no act of whodunnit fiction – instead, they were chronicled in the real-life diary of the two women who killed her. |
| So how did the businesswoman and mother of two meet with an ending so violent, and so out of context with her life? In front of the jury at Preston crown court, a sordid narrative unfurled over the space of seven weeks. | So how did the businesswoman and mother of two meet with an ending so violent, and so out of context with her life? In front of the jury at Preston crown court, a sordid narrative unfurled over the space of seven weeks. |
| Divorced and living in Buckinghamshire, Hartley had begun seeing Lancashire fireman Ian Johnston around 2006. With their distance and work commitments, they only saw each other a handful of times each year until 2011, when Johnston retired and she moved north to Cheshire. | Divorced and living in Buckinghamshire, Hartley had begun seeing Lancashire fireman Ian Johnston around 2006. With their distance and work commitments, they only saw each other a handful of times each year until 2011, when Johnston retired and she moved north to Cheshire. |
| A talented ski instructor, Johnston used the freedom of early retirement to start giving lessons at the Chill Factore indoor ski slope next to Manchester’s Trafford Centre, where Sarah Williams worked at the travel agents. | A talented ski instructor, Johnston used the freedom of early retirement to start giving lessons at the Chill Factore indoor ski slope next to Manchester’s Trafford Centre, where Sarah Williams worked at the travel agents. |
| Williams’s reputation on the Cheshire circuit was of a serial mistress; her affluent lifestyle, extravagant holidays and horse-riding hobby was funded by her 74-year-old married David Hardwick, while she slept with other men. | Williams’s reputation on the Cheshire circuit was of a serial mistress; her affluent lifestyle, extravagant holidays and horse-riding hobby was funded by her 74-year-old married David Hardwick, while she slept with other men. |
| Called as a witness, Hardwick told the court he met Williams as a “shy” 17-year-old before theirs became a “close and sexual relationship”. | Called as a witness, Hardwick told the court he met Williams as a “shy” 17-year-old before theirs became a “close and sexual relationship”. |
| He spent the next 18 years regularly leaving his wife, Rowena, in bed at 5am to sneak off for “cuddles”, cups of tea and morning dog walks with Williams. In turn, Williams had her credit card, fuel and 12 holidays a year paid for, plus a £320 weekly stipend. | He spent the next 18 years regularly leaving his wife, Rowena, in bed at 5am to sneak off for “cuddles”, cups of tea and morning dog walks with Williams. In turn, Williams had her credit card, fuel and 12 holidays a year paid for, plus a £320 weekly stipend. |
| In the summer of 2013, Williams became involved with Johnston. “It was very quick, there was no dating, and she turned up at my house having been invited, in a short skirt and red high heels, and there was immediate intimacy,” Johnston told the court. | In the summer of 2013, Williams became involved with Johnston. “It was very quick, there was no dating, and she turned up at my house having been invited, in a short skirt and red high heels, and there was immediate intimacy,” Johnston told the court. |
| He told the court he had been “weak” and “flattered” but there was “never any kind of permanence in the relationship”. However, for Williams, this was lust, possibly love, turned to obsession and finally “delusional”, “unhinged” and “psychotic” behaviour, the jury heard. | He told the court he had been “weak” and “flattered” but there was “never any kind of permanence in the relationship”. However, for Williams, this was lust, possibly love, turned to obsession and finally “delusional”, “unhinged” and “psychotic” behaviour, the jury heard. |
| Johnston, living with Hartley in Helmshore, Lancashire, claimed to have ended the affair in October 2014, but it was already too late. | Johnston, living with Hartley in Helmshore, Lancashire, claimed to have ended the affair in October 2014, but it was already too late. |
| Hartley, unknowingly, had become “the opponent” to Williams living out her love affair with Johnston. In August 2014 an entry in the diary of Katrina Walsh – the “enthralled” friend and accomplice of Williams – marked the start of the pair’s murderous plot to kill “the evil bitch”. | Hartley, unknowingly, had become “the opponent” to Williams living out her love affair with Johnston. In August 2014 an entry in the diary of Katrina Walsh – the “enthralled” friend and accomplice of Williams – marked the start of the pair’s murderous plot to kill “the evil bitch”. |
| That month Hartley and Johnston’s house was broken into and both cars stolen. Williams fitted a tracker to Johnston’s new car. | That month Hartley and Johnston’s house was broken into and both cars stolen. Williams fitted a tracker to Johnston’s new car. |
| Next, she contacted Hartley. “Dear Sadie,” she wrote in a letter, outlining her affair with Johnston and personally attacking Hartley. “The sex is unbelievably fantastic, the best he’s ever had by a really, really long way. We have never been able to get enough of each other.” | Next, she contacted Hartley. “Dear Sadie,” she wrote in a letter, outlining her affair with Johnston and personally attacking Hartley. “The sex is unbelievably fantastic, the best he’s ever had by a really, really long way. We have never been able to get enough of each other.” |
| Johnston admitted the affair and repaired his relationship with Hartley, but the unannounced visits and presents from Williams continued. She even broke into his house and set off the alarm while he was away on holiday. | Johnston admitted the affair and repaired his relationship with Hartley, but the unannounced visits and presents from Williams continued. She even broke into his house and set off the alarm while he was away on holiday. |
| The court heard Johnston felt “stalked”, while Williams had recruited her “awestruck” friend Walsh to help prepare for murder. They travelled to Germany for the stun gun and bought mobile phones, men’s boots to throw police off the scent and a car, in cash. Walsh – described in court as “weak-willed” – kept all this information in her diary. Those private notes would become the backbone of the police investigation. | The court heard Johnston felt “stalked”, while Williams had recruited her “awestruck” friend Walsh to help prepare for murder. They travelled to Germany for the stun gun and bought mobile phones, men’s boots to throw police off the scent and a car, in cash. Walsh – described in court as “weak-willed” – kept all this information in her diary. Those private notes would become the backbone of the police investigation. |
| Walsh had proven a loyal and dedicated partner in crime for Williams in a previous revenge mission – pouring foam into the car exhaust of a Thai boxer and ski instructor, Somapat Sitiwatjana, and stalking his wife, Janet, after he jilted Williams. | Walsh had proven a loyal and dedicated partner in crime for Williams in a previous revenge mission – pouring foam into the car exhaust of a Thai boxer and ski instructor, Somapat Sitiwatjana, and stalking his wife, Janet, after he jilted Williams. |
| At one point in 2015, with their murderous plan still in its infancy, the duo tentatively approached Walsh’s ex-husband Kevin to assist with something “nefarious”. He did not bite, but the court heard the pair bizarrely believed they could turn him into a hitman by using his archery skills learned in Viking re-enactments. | At one point in 2015, with their murderous plan still in its infancy, the duo tentatively approached Walsh’s ex-husband Kevin to assist with something “nefarious”. He did not bite, but the court heard the pair bizarrely believed they could turn him into a hitman by using his archery skills learned in Viking re-enactments. |
| The sex with Williams may have stopped in late 2014, but Johnston continued – in his own words – “electronically flirting”, which amounted, the court heard, to sending explicit sexual texts and naked images for the next 14 months. On 4 January 2016, 10 days before Hartley’s murder, 30 messages were exchanged between the pair. | The sex with Williams may have stopped in late 2014, but Johnston continued – in his own words – “electronically flirting”, which amounted, the court heard, to sending explicit sexual texts and naked images for the next 14 months. On 4 January 2016, 10 days before Hartley’s murder, 30 messages were exchanged between the pair. |
| Then, in the most “sinister” turn of events, Williams sent a hooded Walsh to deliver a bouquet of chrysanthemums to Hartley on 7 January, just one week before the murder. | Then, in the most “sinister” turn of events, Williams sent a hooded Walsh to deliver a bouquet of chrysanthemums to Hartley on 7 January, just one week before the murder. |
| Hartley knew something was amiss and texted Johnston: “A woman has just this minute turned up at the door with a bunch of chrysanthemums but didn’t know who they are from.” | Hartley knew something was amiss and texted Johnston: “A woman has just this minute turned up at the door with a bunch of chrysanthemums but didn’t know who they are from.” |
| “Not me,” said Johnston. | “Not me,” said Johnston. |
| Hartley replied: “She knew my name. That’s a bit worrying when I’m here on my own … No label or anything on them and late at night.” | Hartley replied: “She knew my name. That’s a bit worrying when I’m here on my own … No label or anything on them and late at night.” |
| She did not sleep well that night, telling her business partner the next day about the “creepy” visit. | She did not sleep well that night, telling her business partner the next day about the “creepy” visit. |
| The very next week, another unexpected knock on the door, and Sadie Hartley was dead. | The very next week, another unexpected knock on the door, and Sadie Hartley was dead. |