Norfolk woman who hired hitman to kill ex-colleague handed 12 year sentence
Helen Hewlett, from King's Lynn, was found guilty of soliciting to murder and stalking in February
Last updated 5th May 2023
A Norfolk woman who hired a hitman to kill an ex-colleague has been handed a 12 and a half sentence at Norwich Crown Court.
Helen Hewlett who's 44, of Hawthorns in King's Lynn will spend at least seven and a half years behind bars, with the remaining five out on extended licence.
She has also been handed a permanent restraining order preventing her from contacting the victim or his family.
It comes after she was found guilty of soliciting to murder and stalking after a trial lasting around two weeks back in February.
During this time the court heard that Hewlett had paid more than £17,000 in cryptocurrency to hire a hitman on the dark web to kill Paul Belton, with whom she had had a short relationship.
In a victim impact statement, Belton wrote: 'I'm now anxious, suffering from anxiety most days of my life now, whether it's getting to and from work, shopping, football. '
'I find myself constantly checking my driveway and am worried if anyone that I don't recognise approaches my house’.
Norfolk Police were alerted to the post in August 2022 and arrested Hewlett at her home.
DCI Michael Pereira, from Specialist Digital & Serious Organised Crime for Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies, said:
“This investigation has been complex and intensive and has involved a number of teams working together which has been critical to secure this conviction.
"DC Frank Jepson from the Norfolk Serious Crime Disruption Team ran the investigation working alongside the joint Norfolk and Suffolk Cybercrime Team and specialist regional colleagues who helped identify Helen Hewlett as the perpetrator in this case.
"This crucial joint working work helped to divert a possible ‘hit’ on the victim and prevent them coming to harm.
“We built and gathered evidence for the case identifying a woman using crypto currency to arrange for someone to kill the intended victim.
"Cyber-crime investigators looked at her cryptocurrency activity and worked with private industry and regional colleagues to provide evidence of payment transactions between the woman and the ‘hit man’ on the dark web.
"This provided crucial evidence in the investigation leading to the successful conviction today."