Love rival murder suspect tells court of plan to set up detective agency with her co-accused
Ski fanatic Sarah Williams begins to point finger of suspicion at friend Kit Williams during her second day in the stand for Sadie Hartley trial
A MURDER suspect in a love triangle trial has claimed that she and her co-accused were thinking about setting up a "detective agency" as the jury heard how they had purchased covert tracking equipment.
Ski fanatic Sarah Williams, 36, denies murdering her love rival Sadie Hartley in an “orgy of violence”.
The prosecution say Williams murdered Sadie, 60, with a cattle prod and knife because she was "obsessed" with getting back with her "ideal man" Ian Johnston.
And today Williams began pointing the finger of suspicion at her pal Katrina Walsh - who is also on trial for murder.
Under questioning from her barrister, Gordon Cole QC, Williams claimed Walsh - who she calls Kitt - had bought the stun gun, knife, tracker and "murder car".
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She also claimed it was Walsh's idea to delver a bunch of flowers to Sadie days before the murder because she claimed Walsh "wanted to see what she looked like."
She claimed Walsh was "obsessed" with a TV show called Hunted where contestants have to go "off grid" and avoid using things like mobile phones and bank cards as they are hunted down.
She said: "She was quite into it. She was excited by it."
Asked about Walsh's character, she said: "She was a very very obsessive person."
It is alleged that Williams placed a tracking device on ex-firefighter Mr Johnston's car in the weeks before the murder and discovered that the couple were living together in Sunny Bank Road, Helmshore, Lancs.
Williams said it was Walsh's idea to buy the stun gun and the tracker and that she did not know that the horse riding instructor had bought the murder weapon.
When asked about the tracker purchase she said: "It was Kitt's idea".
Williams went on: "She said they were pretty useful and really interesting for checking out what people were up to or are up to."
The defendant then agreed the pair had often spoken about business ideas.
She added: "Yes there's been a number of business ideas over the years. We had a number of hair-brained schemes if you like. One of them was to start a private detective agency. It was referenced a number of times. It was probably brought up again about the time the tracker was purchased."
Williams denied being involved in "murder plots" referenced in Walsh's diary entries.
Walsh, 56, is said to have played a key role in helping Williams "get rid of" Sadie and kept a diary of their plans as they developed.
But Williams told Preston Crown Court she had no idea what Walsh put in her diary entries and she had "no control or interest whatsoever" in them.
In September 2014, Walsh wrote: "Sarah came round so got caught up in endless murder plots for Ian's other half"
Mr Cole asked Williams: "Were there any murder plots discussed between you and Katrina Walsh?"
The defendant replied: "No, not at any time in any way."
The jury has heard that the two defendants visited Germany on December 10 last year where the stun gun used in the murder was purchased.
Williams said the plan for the journey was to visit a Celtic museum and the Christmas markets but that Walsh instead took her to a shop and bought the stun gun.
Mr Cole asked: ";Did you know the reason for the purchase?"
She replied: "I asked and the reason was that it would be good for self-defence."
The jury heard that calls from her phone were made to the business that sold the tracker but she said it was "common practice" for her to lend Walsh and others her phone if asked.
Mr Cole asked her: "Any discussion between you and Katrina Walsh when Hunted was beiing watched in relation to anything by way of harming Sadie Hartley?"
Williams replied: "No discussions of harming anybody, full stop."
The jury has heard that Walsh told police she never believed Williams would carry out the murder and that she thought they were playing a game of Hunted.
Williams and Walsh, both from Chester, deny murder.
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