Woman Jailed for Soliciting Hit via Dark Web
Helen Hewlett from King’s Lynn has been branded a “dangerous offender” and jailed for 12.5 years at Norwich Crown Court. She was found guilty of soliciting murder and stalking over a six-week period last summer, posing a “significant risk” to the public, the judge ruled.
Chilling Dark Web Hit Plot Uncovered
Between July and August 2022, Hewlett used the dark web user name “horses5” to post a request on the sinister “Online Killers Market” asking for a hit on a male victim. The chilling post demanded the murder be disguised as an accident. She supplied detailed information including the victim’s home and work addresses, work hours, and social media profiles, offering payment held in escrow.
The message read: “Need someone killed in Norfolk, vital it is made to look like an accident.”
Investigators traced payments of over $20,000 made via cryptocurrency from Hewlett’s UK bank and crypto accounts to the site’s alleged hitman called “#Marksmen.” Despite automatic deletion warnings on the site, messages with administrators endured until days after the last communication.
Victim Left Terrified and Anxious
The victim told the court he lives in fear. “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,” he said.
Police arrested Hewlett at her home in August 2022, uncovering her mobile phone linked to dark web accounts and saved bookmarks for three hitman sites. During questioning, Hewlett admitted resorting to the dark web after a messy breakup and ongoing harassment claims between her and the victim.
Police Praise Cross-Force Cyber Crime Team
DCI Michael Pereira of Norfolk and Suffolk’s Specialist Digital & Serious Organised Crime unit said:
“This was a tough, complex probe involving multiple teams working together. Cybercrime investigators tracked cryptocurrency transactions which proved crucial in identifying Hewlett and stopping a potential murder. This case highlights the power of collaboration in protecting victims from serious harm.”
