WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. ‘Depraved’ killers Steve Sansom and Gemma Watts gave a horrifying reason as to why they murdered Sarah Mayhew in a sickening act of ‘bloodthirsty’ violence
A depraved killer who dismembered a woman’s body has shared a sickening reason for his despicable crimes.
Steve Sansom, 45, and his partner Gemma Watts, 49, were today sentenced for the brutal and sadistic murder of “beautiful” and “sweet” Sarah Mayhew, whose remains they dismembered and scattered around a London park.
Builder Sansom, of Sutton, south-west London, was handed down life imprisonment for murder with a whole life order, which means he will never be released from prison. The sick killer was also sentenced to five years for perverting the course of justice, which will run concurrently.
Sansom’s partner Gemma Watts, of New Addington, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum 30-year term, as well as a five-year sentence for perverting the course of justice, which will run concurrently. If she is ever released, Watts will spend what remains of her life on licence.
Sarah, who lived in New Addington, on the outskirts of Croydon, joined Sansom, whom she had met on a dating site some years before, at his ground floor flat at around 11pm on March 8, 2024. Watts was already at the property when she arrived. Sarah was never seen alive again.
The court heard how Sansom and Watts had indulged in “depraved conversation about sexual activity” in a graphic exchange of messages, which included talk of bestiality, humiliation, and harming others. And their defence of their crimes was just as grotesque.
Attempting to justify what they’d done, Sansom chillingly stated: “We’re not evil, we done the world a service”. On April 2, 2024, just over three weeks after she entered Sansom’s flat, Sarah’s head and limbs were found more than eight miles away in Rowdown Field, New Addington. Her torso was later discovered in the River Wandle. DNA testing confirmed that there were traced of Sarah’s blood in a bucket, in the kitchen and the lounge floor and walls at Samson’s home. Her bloodstains were also discovered in the bedroom and bathroom sink.
During sentencing, Mrs Justice Cutts said: “Her fear and suffering must have been acute as she realised why she was there and what was happening. She was an innocent woman lured to that flat to die in order for you could both act out your bloodthirsty and wicked fantasy.”
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told the court: “The defendants acting together conducted the planned and premeditated bloodthirsty murder of Sarah Mayhew. It is a murder which the prosecution submit involved sexual and/or sadistic conduct. Having committed the murder they then made very extensive efforts to pervert the course of justice over a number of days.
“Prior to the murder the defendants had exchanged a range of depraved messages including those indicating a desire on their part to kill victims whilst involved in sexual activity with them, with a knife or knives, and then have sex with each other whilst covered in the blood of the victim and they even discussed eating human flesh but we do not suggest they did so.”
In a victim impact statement, Sarah’s mother Angela remembered her as a “beautiful, pretty girl”, adding that “it breaks my heart she is not around”. Sarah’s father David thanked the defendants for giving a guilty plea, which at least saved the bereft family from having to endure a trial of this “horrendous case”. He continued: “That said, whatever sentence you may receive will never compare to the pain you have caused us. I ask myself the same question all the time, why did you have to kill her? Maybe I will never know.”
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
