Two Chester women are on trial accused of murdering businesswoman Sadie Hartley in her own home.

Sarah Williams, 34, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, and Katrina Walsh, 56, of Hare Lane, Chester, have both pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering the 60-year-old mother-of-two in the Lancashire village where she lived.

Ms Hartley, who ran her own medical communications business, was found dead from stab wounds at her detached home on Sunny Bank Road in Helmshore, Rossendale, on January 14, this year.

Legal teams for Sarah Williams and Katrina Walsh have begun their defence cases.

We will be bringing you live updates from the trial, being held in Court 5 of Preston Crown Court, with High Court judge Mr Justice Turner trying the case.

The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.

Court adjourns until tomorrow

That concludes today’s evidence.
Miss Williams will take the stand again at 10.30am tomorrow.

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Miss Williams sent Ian Johnston 'images of herself wearing nothing but a pair of boots with her legs ‘akimbo’'

Mr Cross is now talking about images Miss Williams sent to Mr Johnston following the party.

She sent images of herself wearing nothing but a pair of boots with her legs ‘akimbo’.

Mr Cross said: “You were pursuing him sexually. You were preying on him”.

Miss Williams said she was only interested in a sexual relationship with him. Mr Cross said this was in line with her previous ‘b*tch troll’ and ‘evil one’ comments.

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Miss Williams called Sadie "the evil one" and "b*tch troll" in texts

In a text to a friend on the day before the Chill Factore Christmas party, and referring to Miss Hartley, Miss Williams texted: “See if you can get the evil one to eat one of my biscuits”.

Mr Cross asked why she used the words ‘evil one’. She told the jury: “It was a silly thing to say. I don’t consider her to be evil.”

In a text to a friend the day of the Christmas party she also referred to Miss Hartley as a ‘b*tch troll’.

Mr Cross put it to her that she had used those words because she hated her. Miss Williams denied this.

She said it was an ‘unpleasant expression’ and that it was common to talk about other women in a ‘b*tchy way’.

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Sarah Williams: 'Kit Walsh asked her if she wanted to set up private detective agency together'

We are now back to discussing the trackers. Miss Williams described it as ‘part of a silly giggly exercise, suffice to say I didn’t trust Ian’.

She said again that it was Miss Walsh who purchased the device.

Miss Williams admitted she and Miss Walsh had talked about trackers in the past.

She said: “It was mentioned in a conversation.”

She also said Miss Walsh had asked if she had wanted to set up a private detective agency together.

Miss Williams said it wasn’t something she was interested in.

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Miss Williams 'didn't tell police the truth'

It has now become apparent that Miss Williams did not tell police the truth.

She initially told police in interview that she had been sat outside Mr Johnston’s old address on Holcombe Road, alone, on January 7.

But today in court - she admitted she did in fact visit Miss Hartley’s house and deliver flowers on that day with Miss Walsh.

While Miss Williams is giving her evidence in the witness box, her co-accused Katrina Walsh sits in the dock with her head lowered.

Miss Walsh hobbled into the dock on crutches this morning, visibly much older than her co-accused.

She is wearing glasses, a long sleeved navy blue t-shirt, and a blue headscarf covering her whole head.

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Miss Williams: 'I didn’t think I would end up in this position instead of the person who actually killed her'

Mr Cross asked if she ever thought about Miss Hartley’s family while lying to police.

She said: “No, I didn’t stop and think about them because I didn’t think I would end up in this position instead of the person who actually killed her.”

They are now talking about Miss Williams’ and Mr Johnston’s relationship, the second time around. She said it was no longer a relationship like it had been initially, and that it was now just a ‘bit on the side’.

But Mr Cross said a text was sent to her from her friend saying it ‘wouldn’t be long until they would be together for the rest of their lives’.

Miss Williams said they were her friend’s words and not hers.

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Sadie suffered 'in excess of 50 stab wounds'

Mr Cross talked about the injuries Miss Hartley sustained.

He said the post mortem showed ‘in excess of 50 stab wounds which included a number of lacerations to the face and neck’.

A wound through the neck severed the artery, which he said, on its own would have been enough to cause death.

In between Miss Williams’ coughing between responses, Mr Cross asked her: “Are you alright? You’ve got a bit of a cough.”

He is now recalling interviews she gave.

She said in interview:

“How sad does that sound, 34 going and sitting outside someone’s house, especially him.”

She confirms she did sit outside his house on January 7th - with Kit Walsh also in the car.

Now Mr Cross is talking about her interviews.

He says she told police she hadn’t been to his with anyone else in the car with her. He asks why she lied and she said:

“I didn’t want to associate with the whole thing because it is a crime I haven’t committed.”

She said she lied to protect Miss Walsh.

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Sarah Williams didn't tell truth in police interviews 'to protect Kit Walsh'

Tony Cross QC, Miss Walsh’s defence solicitor is now asking Miss Williams questions.

“This is a stab wound that goes right through this lady’s neck. It entered at one side and goes right the way to the other. It was you wasn’t it, who stuck the knife through this lady’s neck.”

Miss Williams responded:

“No.”

He asked: “You didn’t have a bad word to say about Sadie, did you?”

She again responded in a one word answer: “No.”

Mr Cross then went on to ask about police interviews.

Miss Williams said: “As you are aware, the account I gave in interview wasn’t the full truth.”

Mr Cross said: “Why didn’t you tell the police the truth in those interviews which you chose to speak?”

She said it was because she wanted to protect Miss Walsh.

He asked if she thought Miss Walsh had killed Miss Hartley and she replied: “I didn’t even consider Kit killed her.”

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Sadie's DNA found in Sarah Williams' bath

Sadie Hartley’s DNA was found in Miss Williams’ bath. She was asked if she knew how that came to be there.

Miss Williams said: “No, no idea.”

She explained it had been a ‘long time’ since Ian Johnston had been at her house, as far back as December 2013.

She was arrested and during police interview she answered ‘no comment’ to questions asked of her.

She said this was because she had been advised to do so by her solicitor.

Mr Cole has put the question to her, ‘Do you know who killed Sadie Hartley?’

She answered immediately: “No”.

She said a carabiner (climbing clip), a coat and some books belonging to Mr Johnston were still in her house. The books were on the table in front living room, carabiner in her handbag and scarf was wherever she took it off.

She was asked why it was kept in her handbag. She said: “It was of sentimental value to Ian and he had given it to me.”

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Miss Williams denies driving to Sadie's house on night of murder

Miss Williams said it was Miss Walsh who purchased a Renault Clio.

She is answering questions in between loud coughs.

Mr Cole asked her: “Did you got to Sunny Bank Road that night?”

She replied: “No.”

Mr Cole asked her, “Did you drive the Renault Clio to Sunny Bank Road that night?”

She said: “No.”

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Court back in session

Court has now resumed after lunch and Sarah Williams is back in the witness box giving evidence.

We are going straight back into the events of January 14.

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Court adjourns for lunch

We are breaking for lunch now so will be back in an hour.

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Events from day of Sadie Hartley's death recalled

Now we come to the events of January 14 - the day Sadie Hartley was killed.

Miss Williams said she was sent home from work around 3pm as she was ‘unwell’.

She called David Hardwick on her way home as she said that’s what she normally did on the way home. She said she saw him at her home.

“As I was backing in he arrived.”

She said they then went into the house together.

“I put the heating on as I was feeling cold.”

She said she then went and got into bed. She said Mr Hardwick stayed for around 30 minutes and let her pet dog out.

He said if I needed anything to let him know and he would come back. She said the pair spoke every evening.

Mr Hardwick then left.

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Moment accused delivered flowers to Sadie Hartley's house

On her way to Mr Johnston’s home on Holcombe Road, Helmshore, on January 6, Miss Williams said she purchased some binoculars ‘en route’ to replace some that had been lost in the summer.

After the trip to his house she then went to Miss Walsh’s house and then went back home.

The next day flowers were purchased from Tesco in Haslingden, and delivered to Miss Hartley’s address on Sunny Bank Road in Helmshore.

Miss Williams said:

“It was Kit’s idea to deliver the flowers. She wanted to see what Sadie looked like. Kit delivered flowers to the door and I was standing on the pavement around 30 yards away from the house.”

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Miss Williams questioned on her movements along Ian Johnston's road

It is now being discussed how Miss Williams travelled up and down Mr Johnston’s road in early January, possibly around the 6th.

She said Mr Johnston had told her he was going on holiday around that time.

Miss Williams said she had gone to check to see if what he had said was true.

She said, referring to Mr Johnston, “Telling the truth isn’t necessarily what he does.”

Mr Cole also talked about Miss Walsh purchasing a knife, along with many other items from Tesco in Rowton.

He asked Miss Williams: “Did you know anything of a knife being purchased?”

Miss Williams said: “No.”

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Miss Williams denies murder plot

Miss Williams is wearing a grey trouser suit and blue and white striped shirt underneath, with wooden beaded bracelets on her left wrist.

She is addressing the jury calmly and gesticulating with her hands to make her points.

Mr Cole asked: “Was a murder ever plotted between you two?”

Miss Williams responded immediately, “No”.

After the trip to Germany Mr Cole speaks about a text sent from Miss Walsh to Miss Williams stating it was a successful trip.

Miss Williams responded in a text saying: “A victory is deserved on the basis of sheer effort”.

She said this was in relation to them almost missing the ferry back home - but luckily managed to make it on time.

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Entry in Kit's diary: 'Got caught up in endless murder plots for Ian's other half'

A diary entry was read out in court from Kit’s 2014 diary mentioning Miss Williams had come round - Gordon Cole QC read out the extract that read ‘Got caught up in endless murder plots for Ian’s other half.’

He asked Miss Williams if this was ever discussed, she said: “No, not at any time, in any way.”

He asked her a series of questions regarding Kit’s diaries.

GC: “Did you ever have access to the diaries?”

SW: “No”

GC: “Did you ever read the diaries?”

SW: “No”

GC: “Did she tell you what she had written in the diaries?”

SW: “No”

GC: “Did you have any control of what went into the diaries?”

SW: “No”

GC: “Did you have any control of what went into the diaries?”

SW: “No control or interest whatsoever in her diaries.”

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Miss Williams: Kit's idea to buy trackers

Miss Williams was asked about watching the programme ‘Hunted’.

She said:

“She (Kit) was very into it and excited by it. I know that she watched some of the episode more than once. It was a bit obsessive. It was excessive and obsessive.”

Miss Williams said she had watched some episodes but they didn’t really interest her.

The purchase of trackers are now being discussed - with two being purchased.

Miss Williams said:

“It was Kit’s idea (to purchase them). She purchased two of them. I wasn’t aware of the first one until after it had been purchased.”

She said Kit told her they were ‘really useful and good for checking what people are or were up to’. But she denied putting one on Ian Johnston’s car or taking one from his car.

Calls were made to the tracker shop from her phone to ‘top it up’ but she denies making a 14-minute call to the shop. But said she did make one call to top it up as she was asked to by Kit.

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Quizzed about pair's trip to Germany

Miss Williams faced the jury when being asked about the reason she and Miss Walsh visited Germany.

Gordon Cole QC asked her about a photograph of her and Miss Walsh on the ferry from Hull to Rotterdam and the purchase of a stun gun and pepper spray in Germany.

Miss Williams said the purpose of going to Germany was to visit a museum and also to go to the Christmas markets.

She said it was Kit’s idea to purchase the stun gun and only became aware of Kit intending to buy it when they were actually in the shop. She said Kit had taken her to the shop.

She told the jury: “It was Kit’s idea to do that.”

When she asked Kit what she had bought it for she claims Kit told her it was good for ‘self defence’.

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Sarah Williams resumes her evidence

I’m in Court 5 at Preston Crown Court where the Sadie Hartley murder trial has just resumed.

The defence case is continuing today and evidence will be heard from one of the accused, 35-year-old Sarah Williams.

She is charged with plotting and then killing Sadie Hartley with the help of her friend, and co-accused, Katrina Walsh.

Miss Williams has been brought from the dock and has just entered the witness box.

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