Woman accused of killing love rival after stunning her with cattle prod ‘wouldn’t stop talking about murder victim’s partner’
Sarah Williams would constantly seek out Ian Johnston with prosecutors alleging she killed her dream man's partner out of jealousy
ALLEGED stun gun murderer Sarah Williams acted like a “besotted teenager” when talking about her ski instructor love interest, a jury has heard.
The 35-year-old would constantly seek out Ian Johnston whenever he visited Manchester's Chill Factore indoor ski centre, becoming obsessed with the ex-fireman.
Sarah Williams, 35, now stands accused of paralysing Johnston’s partner and mum-of-two Sadie Hartley with a cattle prod and then stabbing her 40 times with “demonic savagery” in a desperate attempt to win Johnston back.
The prosecution in her trial at Preston Crown Court said the defendant was obsessed with ex-fireman Mr Johnston, 57, who was said to have jilted her after she became possessive and difficult.
Crystal Ski sales manager Colin Pye said he remembered Williams telling other staff members about a man named Ian last year.
In a statement read to the court, he said: “I got the impression it was not a full-on relationship but she seemed very intense about it.
“The way she talked about it was like a besotted teenager. She would not shut up about it.”
Mr Pye added: “I recall whenever she heard he was in the centre she would seek him out.”
Williams had worked in the shop for a couple of years after previously visiting as a customer with her partner, 75-year-old David Hardwick, to book holidays, the court heard.
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Mr Pye said staff earned commission on sales and Williams was a top performer.
He said: “Sarah was good at her job. Quite determined, sometimes she could be a bit too determined.
“Sarah has a strong personality. She can be quite loud and verbal, and can have a bee in her bonnet if things don't go her own way.”
The jury was told that on January 14 this year - the day of the murder - Williams arrived at work about noon but soon after went “scuttling” to the toilet.
Mr Pyne then sent her home ill during the afternoon.
At just after 8pm, communications director Ms Hartley received an unexpected knock on the door of her £500,000 home in Helmshore, Lancashire, while Mr Johnston was abroad in Switzerland.
An assailant armed with a 500,000-volt stun gun pressed it to her head and then launched a frenzied knife attack.
Williams, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, denies murder and claims she was ill in bed at home.
Her co-accused, horse riding instructor Katrina Walsh, 56, also denies murder.
Walsh is said to have helped her friend and wrote about staging the "perfect murder" in diaries recovered at her workplace.
The ongoing trial previously heard that the co-accused pair had even discussed planting an ISIS flag at the scene of the murder to throw cops off the scent.
The murder, described as "the stuff of spy novels", left Ms Hartley in a pool of blood.
Prosecutor John McDermott told the court earlier in the trial that Williams plotted to remove her to "achieve her dream of life with her ideal man. It was a delusion."
William and Walsh both deny murder.
The trial continues.
