SJ Fletcher

SJ Fletcher made her first appearance on 16 June 2006. She is portrayed by Natasha Beaumont.

Storylines
Sarah-Jane "SJ" Fletcher played by Natasha Beaumont, first appears when her car's tyre deflates in Albert Square. Mechanic, Minty Peterson, helps her by changing her tyre, and she takes him to lunch to say thank you, but 'forgets' her purse. Soon after, Minty and his flat mate Garry Hobbs are shocked to see SJ in Scarlet nightclub working as a stripper. SJ reveals that she moved to England from Australia a few years before to work in a gentleman's club, but now needs somewhere to live because her landlord is selling up. They let SJ stay at their flat, although Garry is apprehensive about SJ and doesn't want her to stay permanently.

Minty is extremely keen on SJ. He enjoys her company and doesn't seem to mind that she rarely pays her way. Garry begins to feel pushed aside by his best friend and a certain level of animosity arises between SJ and Garry when they are around each other. Minty is initially oblivious to this and invites SJ on a 2006 FIFA World Cup holiday in Germany that he had planned with Garry. SJ is extremely excited, but decides not to go on the trip when Garry and Minty start to argue about it. After further arguing, SJ is eventually asked to leave Garry and Minty's flat, she departs for a while but upon her return, she begins renting a flat of her own in Walford.

Garry becomes infuriated with SJ manipulating Minty out of his money, feeling she is little more than a user. Minty pays SJ's rent, continuously buys her gifts and drinks, gives her money and takes her out to dinner. Garry also suspects SJ is having sex with her visitor Sid Clarke, a fellow Australian. SJ denies the allegation and claims that Sid is her brother, even producing photographic evidence of her and Sid together as children. Minty believes her explanation, however it is later revealed that SJ is deceiving him and Sid is actually her boyfriend.

Sid and SJ construct a plan to keep Minty keen on SJ so they can continue to pilfer his money. SJ flirts and leads Minty on, but the relationship never goes further. Nevertheless, Minty is quick to believe that there is a possibility he and SJ could eventually be together, so he is more than willing to ply her with money, even if it means his own life suffers as a result. However, on 2 October 2006, Minty gets tired of SJ using him to buy her drinks in The Queen Victoria pub and shouts at her. Realising that she is about to lose her 'meal ticket' SJ changes tack. She and Minty reconcile, and start a relationship. It is a sham, as SJ is still with Sid, but Minty is delighted. He becomes infatuated with SJ, ruining his friendship with Garry and loses his job at the arches garage in the process, and what little money he does have is quickly squandered by SJ.

After months of using Minty, SJ begins to feel guilty. She makes it clear to Sid that she cares for Minty and doesn't want to keep hurting him, but Sid only thinks of the money that he will lose if the scam stops. SJ tries to convince Sid to go home to Australia with her, so they can have a baby. Sid declines and SJ orders him to get out, but quickly changes her mind and has sex with Sid at the same time she is due to meet Minty. Meanwhile, Gary declares to Minty that he had seen SJ and Sid kissing. Minty refuses to believe him, and he goes to SJ's, enters her flat and is shocked to see SJ in bed with Sid. The next morning, SJ and Sid have disappeared.