Cattle prod murder suspect Sarah Williams ‘sent spiteful letter to tragic Sadie Hartley boasting of her affair with her boyfriend’
'Obsessed' Sarah Williams penned letter in bid to break up relationship of Ian Johnston and Hartley
SCORNED Sarah Williams wrote a “spiteful” letter to her love rival as she plotted her murder - telling her she had been having “unbelievably fantastic sex” with her boyfriend, a court heard.
Williams - whose alleged murder plot was branded “evil” by prosecutors - told cops she had written the letter to do tragic Sadie Hartley “a favour”.
But Preston Crown Court heard Williams, 35, penned the sick note out of spite and accused businesswoman Sadie of “buying” her partner Ian Johnston’s affections, trapping him in a loveless relationship.
“Obsessed” Williams told mum-of-two Sadie, 60, she and retired fireman Ian had “never been able to get enough of each other” and she had satisfied a “sexual need in him”.
She revealed she had been “having an affair” with her since they met in Camp Suisse in August 2013.
She wrote: “Dear Sadie, I think you should know that Ian has been cheating on you for over a year.
He's been having an affair with me since returning from Camp Suisse in August 2013.
"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.
"It satisfied a need in him he will never really be able to suppress or manage without.”
She then accused Sadie of making Ian depressed but said “despite doing everything you have done so far, to buy him and trap him, he's still lying to you, cheating and sleeping with me behind your back.”
“Jealous” Williams even gave Sadie her phone number and told her to ignore Ian’s attempts at excuses because their mistake had happened “over and over and over again”.
The prosecution said her “attempt to win Ian back” failed and prompted Williams to plot the killing which ended in “demonic savagery”.
The court heard Williams, 35, became “obsessed” with getting Johnston back and that she saw Hartley as a love rival who had to be “taken out”.
Mr John McDermott QC said she was a woman “consumed with hatred” and demonstrated the brutal nature of the attack on Sadie by body-mapping over 40 knife wounds.
He said the “sanitised” images “demonstrate the savagery of the attack” which left her with no chance of survival.
Several of Sadie’s family sat in court wiped tears from their eyes as the injuries - which included one stab wound right through her neck - were shown.
Mr McDermott QC said: “Imagine the force needed for the knife to go right through the neck.”
Earlier the court heard following her arrest traces of Sadie’s DNA was found in Williams’ bath - where the prosecution say she has washed away her blood.
A spec of Sadie’s blood was also found by cops on her glasses and in the footwell of the “murder car”.
Preston Crown Court also saw CCTV evidence of the last time medical conference planner Sadie was seen alive.
She was captured leaving her £500,000 home in Helmshore, Lancs after returning from work on January 16 to go to tend to her horses.
At the nearby stables she was also seen stopping briefly to talk to someone before getting into her car to drive home “unaware that someone was on their way to murder her.”
Williams' letter to Hartley
Dear Sadie,
I think you should know that Ian has been cheating on you for over a year.
He's been having an affair with me since returning from Camp Suisse in August 2013.
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.
It satisfied a need in him he will never really be able to suppress or manage without.
Ian is stressed out and extremely depressed. His mental state is somewhat of a serious concern to me hence while i'm writing this.
I feel you have played a significant part in getting him in the state he's in now, which appears to be worsening by the day.
Despite doing everything you have done so far, to buy him and trap him, he's still lying to you, cheating and sleeping with me behind your back.
Maybe it is about time that somebody told you.
Probably it just goes to show you can buy and trap someone with money and blackmail but can't make them love you or be faithful to you.
Should you choose to talk to him about this bear in mind it was not a one off, an accident or mistake or any other form of excuse.
This was a choice made freely, over and over and over again for now more than 12 months because it was what he wanted to do.
Clearly these are not the actions of someone with any respect, desire, love or affection for you whatsoever.
Should you wish to discuss anything here you are free to contact me.
Security cameras fitted to a neighbours home were also said to capture the moment ski-fanatic Williams arrived on her street armed with a stun gun and knife.
Footage was shown to the jury of a “shadowy” figure parking her car and walking in the direction of Sadie’s home - before returning just four minutes and 40 seconds later.
Mr McDermott QC said it was a “no-hesitation, determined and swiftly executed murder."
When arrested Williams admitted being a “saddo” over her break-up with Ian but denied any involvement in the murder.
Co-accused Katrina Walsh, 56, was arrested a day after her pal and was said to have told friends she “needed to help” Sarah.
She told cops in the police car as she was arrested: “I might have done something. I might have done something. I just don’t remember.”
She then claimed she was a “patsy” and “terrified” of best mate WIlliams who she said had a “manic fascination” for Ian and would have done anything to get him.
When asked why she hadn’t gone to cops with her fears of what Williams was capable of - she said that she feared Williams might get a “sniper” to kill her.
The jury heard Sadie Hartley was found dead at the home she shared with Mr Johnston after she was killed in an “orgy of violence”.
A work colleague raised the alarm the day after the murder when she failed to respond to work calls and emails.
Just a week before she had expressed concern over a bunch of £3 flowers that had been brought to her house by Walsh with no note.
Williams and Walsh, both of Chester, both deny murder.
