Jilted wife spikes husband’s beer before allegedly attempting to blow up his car

A SPURNED wife spiked her husband’s beer, then allegedly tried to blow him up in his car while he slept, after discovering the high-ranking prison guard was having an affair, a court has heard.

Sharon Yarnton is a high-ranking NSW prison guard.

A SPURNED wife spiked her husband’s beer and then allegedly tried to blow him up in his car while he slept after finding out the high-ranking prison guard was having an affair with a colleague, a court has heard

Sharon Yarnton, 50, is accused of trying to murder her husband Dean Yarnton who woke in his Nissan Navara at a national park with a gas cylinder bottle hissing in the back seat and diesel fuel poured around the vehicle.

Sharon Yarnton, pictured, is accused of trying to murder her husband Dean Yarnton.

Ms Yarnton, who is also a high-ranking prison guard, has pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder her husband at Picnic Point in Sydney’s south west on February 1 2015.

Two people accused of trying to help her kill her husband, Fady Houda, 24, and Monique Hayes, 25, have also pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

Crown prosecutor Guy Newton told the jury that for months before the incident there was “tension” and “great animosity,” between the Yarntons as their 23-year marriage collapsed.

“There was significant tension between Mr Yarnton and Ms Yarnton over an affair that Ms Yarnton had found out about that Mr Yarnton was having with a work colleague,” Mr Newton said.

He told the jury the pair planned to divorce and had sold their family home at Menai, in Western Sydney, but were still living in it awaiting the settlement date on February 23.

Mr Newton said before they went their separate ways Ms Yarnton asked Mr Yarnton to go out with her for “one last dinner” with their family friends, Christine and Craig Osland.

Dean Yarnton arriving at court today gave evidence that the beer Sharon bought him tasted unusual.

All four went out for dinner at a club at Merrylands where, at around 10.45pm Ms Yarnton bought Mr Osland and her husband beers.

Mr Newton said Mr Yarnton will give evidence that, “when he tasted the beer he noticed that it tasted unusual and he felt like there were granules on the lip of the glass.”

Ms Yarnton offered to take the beer back to the bar where CCTV footage allegedly shows her pour the beer into another glass and return to their table.

“Mr Yarnton says that he then drank some of that beer and afterwards started to feel extremely tired.

“The Crown case is that Ms Yarnton had put some substance in the drink with the intention of somehow making Mr Yarnton more drowsy,” Mr Newton said.

The Crown alleges Ms Yarnton recruited a friend of her son’s, Monique Hayes (pictured) to kill her husband.

As Ms Yarnton drove her husband home he fell asleep in the passenger seat.

“Mr Yarnton woke up to a hissing sound and found himself alone. He says that he looked over the back seat and he saw the gas cylinder ... he then turned it off got out and felt his socks were wet and petrol was soaking his feet.”

Mr Newton said Mr Yarnton found another open gas bottle near the fuel tank and diesel around the car and soaking the tray of the vehicle.

He also saw a vehicle with long, horizontal tail lights parked further down the road.

“He called his wife on the mobile and asked ... why there was fuel all over his car.”

Ms Yarnton allegedly said she had no idea and had gone into the bushes to go to the toilet and was now lost.

Mr Yarnton called police and Ms Yarnton was arrested at the scene.

Mr Newton told the jury that the Crown alleges Ms Yarnton recruited an old friend of her son’s, Monique Hayes and the young woman’s husband Fady Houda to kill her husband.

It is alleged Ms Yarnton offered them $20,000 to carry out the murder.

Dean Yarnton told court he called his wife and asked why there was fuel all over his car.

When police investigators searched the crime scene they found a lighter and a glove near the car.

Mr Newton said the glove contained DNA which was consistent with Mr Houda.

Defence barrister for Mr Houda, Michael Picken told the jury that his client was not at Picnic Point and was not involved in any plot to murder Mr Yarnton.

“The prosecution have got at least some of their case wrong they have made a mistake,” Mr Picken said.

Mr Yarnton is expected to give evidence on Thursday.