Whitney Franks (left) was jealous because her boyfriend James Prest (right) was seeing someone else (Image: Hyde News and Pictures)
A shop manager is facing a long prison sentence for trying to kill a love rival.
Sports Direct employee Whitney Franks, 26, was found guilty after messages she posted looking for a killer were discovered on the dark web by BBC journalist Carl Miller.
She offered £1,000 in bitcoins to have Ruth Rootna killed because she was also dating her friend, general manager, James Prest.
The message said: “Looking for the murder of a woman. I have £1000 and I am willing to pay more once I am paid. This woman has caused me and others a lot of trouble. Please can you help resolve this.’
Franks created a cryptocurrency account on August 20, 2020 and bought £282.57 in bitcoins, but withdrew the funds three days later.
Franks, from Milton Keynes, admitted she wrote the message but insisted she did not want anyone to be hurt.
Franks offered £1,000 to have her love rival Ruth Ruthna (pictured) killed (Image: Hyde News and Pictures)
Judge Paul Dugdale said: “When people buy services on the dark web it is usually for drugs or weapons, but here the website the journalist was looking at dealt with death.
“There was a message on the website which included Rutt Ruutna’s address in Milton Keynes, a Facebook profile and a description. It was posted by jealous Franks.
Constable Nicholas Timms said: “We found Ruth Ruthna and took her to a quiet place in the warehouse and informed her that someone had been identified as wanting to kill her.
“She was obviously shocked and sat on the floor.”
“She said she had a hunch who it might be and said the name Whitney.
“I moved her from her work address as quickly as possible and took her to a safe haven, somewhere no one she knew would know about.”
Mr Prest explained that he was in a relationship with a long-term partner but had also had an affair with Franks.
He said: “At first we saw each other once a week or whenever we could and then it became twice a week or so, then towards the end it went down again.
“Root Rootna was a colleague of mine who worked at Sports Direct and someone I had a romantic relationship with. ‘
More: Crime News
He said Franks became suspicious and eventually Ms Ruutna told her she had also been romantically involved with Mr Prest.
Mr Prest continued: “I thought Whitney was hardworking, someone who was fun to be around and someone who loved me.
“She never expressed a desire to hurt Root herself or have anyone else hurt her.”
She will be sentenced on September 9.
Add Comment