"I’ve just paid someone to kill her"

Friday 12 May 2023

A 59-year-old woman who told someone on Facebook Messenger that she had paid someone to kill another woman has avoided prison – but been warned she could be sent behind bars if she sends threatening messages again.

Susan Ann Louis – who has 19 previous convictions for 44 offences – had already been barred from contacting the woman for seven years.

But the Magistrate’s Court heard that Louis had breached the order three times in the last three months by sending threatening messages via Facebook.

On 23 January she sent a message saying: "I’m going to kill her and her husband and kids this week."

On 5 March a message stated: "I’ve just paid someone to kill her."

And on 28 March she posted: "Today is the day."

Louis at first denied the offences and had been due to stand trial, but changed her pleas to guilty when she appeared in court on Thursday.

Advocate Adam Harrison, prosecuting, said that four of Louis’s previous convictions were for breaching restraining orders.

He added that others were for violence, so the victim had feared the threats were genuine, and felt that Louis "was going out of her way to torment her".

Advocate James Bell, defending, pointed out that "it’s not one-way traffic" and that Louis had received threatening messages from the victim of her threats herself.

"She has let her frustration bubble over into angry words. That is the extent of her offending – angry words."

The seven-year restraining order has 18 months left to run. Advocate Bell argued that it should not be extended and a six-month binding over order could be imposed instead.

Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris agreed, saying: "We have tried binding over orders, which have been partially successful."

Imposing the order, he warned Louis: "If you commit another offence in the next six months you will be back in court.

"If that offence is the breach of a restraining order you could be looking at going to prison."