Carol Ann Hunter plotted to maim ex-husband's new wife

Local business woman Carol Ann Hunter is facing years behind bars having been convicted of ordering a hitman to attack her ex-husband's new wife. The 50 year old former corporate highflier who lived on Barrowgate Road denied charges that she plotted to kill her former partner but tearfully admitted to "seeking to do serious harm" to his new wife.

Carol Ann Hunter and Colin Love have two children (now teenagers) together and shared a homes in Barrowgate Road and Bedfordshire for 22 years before Love left Hunter to marry his college sweetheart Judith Crowshaw. The pair reignited their relationship after getting in contact through the Friends Reunited web site.

Accused of incitement to solicit murder of her former lover, Hunter told the court that "whatever he has done to me I could never hurt him, I still love him and care for him deeply" before going on to blame her new lover Anton Lee, who worked Rothschild's Bank, for instigating the murder plot involving organising a contract killing.

Lee admitted agreeing to help Hunter because he was "blinded by love" for her and told of his shame after contacting a hitman - who turned out to be an undercover policeman - on her behalf. Lee had asked a friend, Bill Niven, if he knew a hitman but Niven had gone straight to the police. During two meetings with the undercover policeman, Hunter, a former executive with Unilever and Rimmel who was responsible for the Tommy Tippee range, said that she did not have a moral dilemma about killing, but felt that maiming Mrs Love would be better and offer to pay £10,000 for Ms. Crowshaw to be blinded or maimed.

The jury at the Old Bailey unanimously convicted her and Anton Lee of the charge after eight hours' deliberation. She shook her head and looked up towards friends and relations as the sentence was announced. Hunter is due to be sentenced on January 26th.

December 24, 2006