Sarah Brierley murder: Judge sentences Sheffield murderer David Scott for 'sordid, heartless killing'

A 40-year-old man who murdered his former Sheffield flatmate and repeatedly stole from her as she lay dead has been condemned for the 'heartless, sordid killing'.

Yesterday, jurors found David Scott unanimously guilty of the murder of 49-year-old Sarah Brierley, whose body was found at her home in Skelton Close, Woodhouse on February 20, 2023. The extent of 'decomposition' suggested she is likely to have died some days earlier, the jury of seven women and five men have previously been told. 

Prosecutors believe Ms Brierley, also known as 'Queenie,' is likely to have been killed on February 14, 2023, at some point between 2.48pm - when Scott was left alone with Ms Brierley in her flat, and 1.08pm, the timestamp of a picture showing Ms Brierley's dead body with her head covered with a bin bag that was recovered from a phone used by Scott

During the course of the three-week trial, Sheffield Crown Court was told how a Home Office pathologist who examined Ms Brierley's body determined she had suffered severe injuries to her head, which had fractured the skull, and were consistent with being caused by multiple blows - at least five - with a blunt weapon inflicted with severe force.

And today (Thursday, November 2, 2023), Scott was brought to justice for the 'heartless' murder of Ms Brierley when Mr Justice Kerr sent him to begin a life sentence, and told him he must serve at least 29 years behind bars.

Mr Justice Kerr told Scott: "You were supposed to be a friend of Ms Brierley's, you had been living with her...Ms Brierley trusted you to be alone with her in the flat, and you exploited and abused that trust.

He said Scott, of Abbeyfield Road, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, had 'probably' killed Ms Brierley out of 'jealousy', after she 'professed' her love for his then-partner, Zoe Clark.

"Certainly, you killed her in a rage," he said. "You were alone with her, you put a cloth in her mouth, covered her head to stop the spread of blood, and struck her at least five times."

During the course of the trial, prosecutor David Brooke KC said police found a love letter from Ms Brierley to Clark, in which she describes Clark as her 'princess' and 'angel'. She said Clark had gotten 'under' her 'skin' and claimed her feelings for Clark were more 'powerful' and 'addictive' than any drug, including 'crack and heroin'.

Jurors heard how a murder weapon was never recovered, but Mr Justice Kerr said he was 'satisfied' Scott had used a claw hammer to murder Ms Brierley, the kind he had also used in a robbery committed on February 5, 2023, a matter of days before Ms Brierley's death, in which the victim was struck to the back of the head with such a weapon. Scott was also convicted of robbery in relation to that incident at the conclusion of this trial, and the court was told that Ms Brierley is also alleged to have been involved with the robbery.

In a moving statement read to the court, Ms Brierley's sister, Lisa Dawson, detailed the sexual abuse Ms Brierley experienced as a child, the devastating effects of which sent her on a downward 'spiral', resulting in her turning to drugs, and later progressing into an addiction which forced her into prostitution.

Prior to the abuse, Ms Brierley was a 'bubbly' and 'strong-willed' young girl, Ms Dawson said, adding that afterwards, Ms Brierley's 'personality and whole life' changed. She subsequently 'ended up in care,' and became estranged from her family, the court heard

Ms Dawson described how, despite Ms Brierley's difficulties in life, she was 'always willing to help people out as much as she could, even if she didn't have much herself'.

Mr Justice Kerr said Ms Brierley was keen to reconcile with her family, including her two children, and Scott's murderous actions had taken that possibility away.

In a statement to the court, the victim of the robbery said he wanted the person responsible to understand how the incident has 'ruined' his 'life,' detailing how he is now longer in work as a consquence, feels apprehensive about leaving his house - especially after dark - the impact of which means he now also finds it hard to socialise.

Jurors were also told that while Scott's blood was found at the murder scene, a 'footprint in blood' was discovered; and Mr Brooke said an 'expert' had matched the footprint to a type of Adidas trainers worn by Mr Scott, adding that he was captured on CCTV wearing that same type of trainer in a Sheffield Co-Op branch around a week earlier on February 7, 2023. 

Jurors found Scott's co-accused, and former partner, Clark, aged 38, of Skelton Close, Woodhouse, Sheffield, not guilty of Ms Brierley's murder, and of the alternative count of manslaughter.

Clark, along with Scott, was found unanimously guilty of theft, relating to items stolen from Ms Brierley's flat as she lay dead, including a television, a pressure cooker and a coffee machine.

Outlining the prosecution case relating to the theft charge, Mr Brooke previously told the jury: "On the morning of the 14th February (2023), both defendants were seen on CCTV in the vicinity of Sarah Brierley's flat acting suspiciously.

"They were also seen by a neighbour coming and going to the flat over the next few days before the body was discovered. The prosecution suggest that they were removing property from the flat."

Defending Scott, Andrew Vout KC, said his client had committed these offences 'whilst in the grip of a very harmful addiction'.

"My Lord will have seen many times before in these courts quite how powerful addiction to these prohibited drugs is, and the need to satisfy that addiction overwhelms, and overrides, just about everything else," Mr Vout said.

Matthew Sherratt KC, representing Clark, said while his client was seen on CCTV with Scott, as he carried a television at 11.32am on the day of Ms Brierley's death, there was no evidence to suggest the television was Ms Brierley's, that Clark was aware of her death or that she had been inside Ms Brierley's flat as she lay dead.

Mr Justice Kerr noted there was no CCTV of Ms Brierley's flat, and said he had 'strong suspicions' that Clark knew Ms Brierley was dead at the time she was seen with the television.

However, Mr Justice Kerr concluded he could not be sure of what Clark knew at the time she committed the theft offence and would therefore sentence her on that basis.

He jailed Clark for a year, including the activation of a suspended sentence previously imposed for offences of failing to provide a specimen and possession of crack cocaine.

Scott received a nine-year sentence for the robbery and an 18-month sentence for the theft, both of which are to run concurrently to his life sentence. Mr Justice Kerr said he had increased the minimum-term up from the starting point of 25 years outlined by the prosecution to reflect the other crimes he was convicted of.