A man has been sentenced to 29 years in prison for the murder of Sarah Brierley.
David Scott, 39, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court today and was found guilty of murder. He was also sentenced to nine years for robbery and 18 months for theft.
Officers found love letters ‘riddled with guilt’ to his co-accused upon his arrest at their home in the Woodhouse area.
Zoe Clark, 38, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter but was found guilty of one count of theft, and sentenced to 42 weeks in prison.
Having taken three hours to reach a verdict, the jury heard how in February of this year, Sarah’s body had been found at her address on Skelton Close.
She was found with significant head injuries and wrapped in a duvet on a sofa. Traces of rat poison were found near her body.
During the enquiry, officers found photos on a phone shared by Scott and Clark showing Sarah’s body with a plastic bag over her head.
The post-mortem examination revealed her death was ‘a result of several blows with a heavy object, such as a hammer’.
It is thought Sarah died on the 14th of February, while she lay dead in her property Scott and Clark stole her belongings including a TV which was caught on CCTV.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Knowles, who led the investigation said: “Sarah died at the hands of someone she trusted enough to live with her.
“The intent of Scott has never come to light, and we do not know why he decided to end an innocent woman’s life.
“I hope today’s verdict and knowing that Scott will spend time behind bars helps bring closure to those who knew Sarah.”
Image courtesy of South Yorkshire Police