A YOUNG Bidford woman was killed by her ex-boyfriend and his lover in a brutal and sadistic murder, a court heard.

Bethany Hill was bound with duct tape before her throat was cut in the brutal murder in the flat she shared with her alleged killers, a jury heard.

And after waiting several hours before reporting Miss Hill’s death, former Bidford man Jack Williams and his partner Kayleigh Woods are said to have ‘spun a web of lies.’

Williams, aged 21, of Redlands Crescent, Stratford, and Woods, 23, of Hertford Road, Stratford, both deny Miss Hill’s murder last February

Prosecutor Stephen Linehan QC told the jury: “We submit you will conclude it was a sadistic killing by Williams, and that Kayleigh Woods joined in in a bid to please him.”

The police became aware of her death when Woods made a 999 call at 7.07pm Wednesday February 3, saying: “Well, I think, well, well my best friend’s dead in my flat.”

Woods said Miss Hill had killed herself while she was out of the flat, and had returned to find blood everywhere and had cleaned up before calling the police.

Mr Linehan said Miss Hill, aged 20, had been brought up at her parents’ home in Bidford where she met Williams and they had a very brief relationship.

She later moved to Stratford as did Williams.

At Stratford College Miss Hill met Woods.

Woods and Williams started a relationship in 2014, and moved in together.

In October 2015, Woods said Williams had threatened her with a knife, as a result of which he was put on probation with a condition that he did not return to the flat.

Miss Hill then moved in with Woods.

Last January when Woods and Williams got back together, he moved back into the flat, where they slept in the living room while Miss Hill had the bedroom.

Williams' family were unaware he was living there.

“After the killing the defendants took advantage of the fact no-one knew Williams was living there and tried to create a false story to explain Beth’s death, that Beth killed herself.”

Mr Linehan said that on February 2 Williams went to work, leaving Beth and Woods in the flat, and returned at 1am.

“During the early hours of that morning he and Kayleigh Woods took part in the murder of Beth Hill.

He said the evidence was that the murder was not carried out quickly, and that Beth’s wrists were bound with duct tape.

Mr Linehan said the killing had taken place at some time between Williams returning to the flat and 6am.

So by the time Woods called 999, Beth had been lying dead for over 12 hours

Woods claimed Miss Hill Beth had ‘always been suicidal’ and had drunk bleach that morning.

A Barbie doll, owned by Woods, with its hair painted pink, similar to Miss Hill’s hair, and its mouth, hands and feet bound with tape, was later found.

Woods later changed her story to blame Williams and said she took part in a cover up because she was frightened of him.

Williams claimed he was at work when he received a text from Woods and then a phone call asking him to go round.

He said when he arrived Miss Hill was unconscious in bed, and Woods told him she had given Miss Hill pills, about 60 of them, including anti-depressants and ‘sleepers,’ and made her drink bleach.

He later changed his story to say he came round from a blackout covered in blood with a knife in his hand, which was then thrown into the river.

He said he could not say whether he had killed Miss Hill or not, but that if he did it had not been intentional.

Of the subsequent lies, he said: "I tried covering things up with Kayleigh because we were scared because we'd both done it.

"We were both involved in it."

The trial continues.

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