A WOMAN who "revelled in the drama" of playing her two lovers off against each other has been jailed for four months after her sexual taunts ended in murder.

Sarah Bramley arrives at court. Picture: North News

Darlington mum Sarah Bramley, 29, sent a photograph of herself performing oral sex on Michael Lawson to violent and jealous David Saunders, "tipping him over the edge."

She followed the picture up with a message to Saunders, about Michael, which said: "Feel free to smack the c***."

The "kind and mild-mannered" Mr Lawson was then ambushed by Saunders who stabbed him to death as he walked home from Bramley's house after she had slapped his face and ordered him to leave.

As she played the two men off against each other during a drinking session into the early hours, her two small sons were asleep in their beds at her home in Darlington, County Durham.

Bramley admitted inciting an assault, but it was accepted she could not have foreseen her goading of Saunders would lead to Michael's murder.

Prosecutor Nick Dry told Teesside Crown Court of the stormy on-off relationship between Bramley and Saunders, which continued to be sexual yet violent at the same time.

A court order was granted to keep him away from Bramley who claimed to be frightened of him, whilst at the same time she continued to have sex with him.

July, 2017: Chief Superintendent Adrian Green appeals for witnesses during the investigation into the death of Michael Lawson

Mr Dry said: "These events are the culmination of a love rivalry with Sarah Bramley at its heart."

He added: "Notwithstanding the non-molestation order, Bramley continued to see and have contact with David Saunders.

"Text messages between the two reveal a love hate relationship with sexually explicit messages of love mixed with highly offensive personal abuse.

"At the same time she continued to see Michael Lawson, a kind mild-mannered man with whom she had previously holiday abroad.

"Bramley, having declared her love for Saunders then revealed to him she had recently slept with Mr Lawson. She appeared to revel in the drama and attention of the situation."

Mr Dry told the court how Bramley continued trading texts with Saunders right up to and even after the killing of Michael.

Just after Saunders carried out the murder she sent him a message at 4.10am which said: "You are f***ed, what a mess."

Throughout the night p, they had traded insults, with Bramley mocking Saunders by telling him Mr Lawson was "twice his size."

Saunders replied by calling her a "sket and a slut."

It was Saunders who sent the first sexual image at 2am, Mr Dry said.

He told the court: "He sent a video clip of her engaged in sexual activity just before 2am.

"She responded to the message unfazed and said that she could respond in kind. Thereafter they continued to exchange insults of a highly offensive personal and sexual nature.

"Consequently an image of Bramley performing oral sex on Mr lawson - an image taken that night - was sent from her telephone to David Saunders, just after 2.30am."