Sadie murder accused takes the stand
AWOMAN accused of murdering a love rival with a stun gun in an “orgy of violence” has told a court she did not do it.
Sarah Williams, 35, is on trial for the murder of businesswoman Sadie Hartley, 60, who the prosecution allege she killed after former boyfriend Ian Johnston dumped her.
Ms Williams gave evidence in the witness box, watched closely by Ms Hartley’s two children, Charlotte, 22 and Harry, 23, who were sitting in the public gallery of Preston Crown Court.
She is accused of plotting to kill Ms Hartley for 17 months with coaccused Katrina Walsh, 56, after becoming “obsessed” with ex-fireman Mr Johnston, 57, who was in a relationship with the victim.
The prosecution allege that Ms Williams, who at the time was a “kept woman” with a wealthy “sugar daddy” boyfriend twice her age, turned up at the £500,000 home Mr Johnston shared with Ms Hartley in Helmshore, while Mr Johnston was abroad skiing.
When Ms Hartley answered the door Ms Williams allegedly attacked her with “demonic savagery”, using a 500,000-volt stun gun to paralyse her before stabbing her 40 times.
Ms Williams and Ms Walsh, both from Chester, deny murder on January 14.
Gordon Cole QC, defending Ms Williams, warned the defendant she would be in the witness box “for some time” as he began questioning her.
Addressing her Mr Cole said: “Have you ever given evidence in court before? Have you ever been in trouble before? Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence before?”
The defendant replied “no” to each question.
The lawyer then asked: “Did you kill Sadie Hartley.
Ms Williams replied: “No.”
Ms Williams, a ski holiday firm sales adviser, met Mr Johnston on the slopes at the Chill Factore, an artificial slope in Manchester, where they both enjoyed skiing.
Text exchanges turned “flirty” and Ms Williams later turned up at his house wearing a short skirt and red high heels, and the relationship quickly became sexual.
The jury has heard that Mr Johnston ended the “heavy” relationship with “clingy” Ms Williams after she became obsessed with him and started a new relationship with Ms Hartley - though sex with the defendant continued.
Ms Williams, who described herself to friends as a “She-Devil” and “psycho”, and whom friends described as a “bunny boiler”, called Ms Hartley a “bitch” and sent her a “spiteful” letter telling of the “fantastic” sex she was having with her boyfriend.
Mr Cole asked Ms Williams to describe her “general character”.
The witness replied: “I’m quite easy-going, I can get on with people relatively easily.”
Mr Cole continued: “How about aggressive? Saying things about people?”
“No, I would not say I’m aggressive at all.”
Mr Cole said: “Use of the word ‘bitch’?”
Ms Williams replied: “Yes. It’s in my vocabulary if I’m being critical.”
Ms Williams said she and Mr Johnston first came into contact while skiing at the Chill Factore in 2011, but they only had the odd chat on the slopes at the time.
But in 2013 they began “liking” each other’s photos on Facebook and began to exchange messages, first having sex in September 2013 at his house.
Mr Cole asked: “Were you aware of him being in a relationship with Sadie Hartley?”
Ms Williams replied: “Yes. He told me about it.”
“Did you fall for him?” Mr Cole asked. “Yes,” she replied. Ms Hartley then went on a three-month trip to Ecuador with Mr Johnston.
Ms Williams continued: “He referred quite a lot to the cost of it. He told me it was Sadie paying for it. He talked about the financial disparity between them.
“He mentioned on a number of occasions he was concerned about whether he was going down the wrong road in his life and going in the wrong direction by continuing to have a relationship with her.”
Sexually explicit messages were exchanged between them while he was away on the trip with Ms Hartley, and the day after he arrived back they had sex.
Later the pair, accompanied by their partners, Ms Hartley and Mr Hardwick, went on a skiing holiday to France together in December 2013. Neither of the other partners were aware of what was going on.
Ms Williams and Mr Hardwick then went on a three-month skiing holiday to Whistler in Canada but she agreed “at times” she hoped her future would be with Mr Johnston. Proceeding