Picture supply, South Yorkshire Police
- Writer, Oli Constable
- Position, bbc information
- Reporting from Sheffield Crown Court docket
-
Two neighbors who killed a susceptible man in a “brutal, ruthless and despicable” assault will spend no less than 26 years in jail.
Stephen Koszyczarski, 60, suffered critical head accidents after being attacked at his dwelling in Woodseats, Sheffield, on August 9.
Zoe Rider, 36, and Nicola Lethbridge, 45, of Fraser Drive, had been discovered responsible of homicide and theft after a three-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court docket in Could.
Jailing the pair for all times, Choose Sarah Wright described their actions as “ruthless and intensely violent”.
On the sentencing listening to, Choose Wright informed Rider and Lethbridge that they “invaded his dwelling, aspiring to take his property by threatening him and utilizing violence towards him.”
The assault on Fraser Drive, partly filmed on a cell phone, was “clearly fueled by medication and doubtless alcohol”, the decide added.
The couple had falsely accused Koszyczarski of being a pedophile, regardless of having no proof to help their claims.
On the night time of the assault, prosecutors beforehand mentioned the 2 ladies went to his dwelling “to confront and humiliate” Mr. Koszyczarski.
In an announcement learn to the court docket, Mary Jones, who had been buddies with Koszyczarski for 38 years, mentioned he was “nothing however sort.”
“I cry most days and most nights; he was such a particular man,” Jones mentioned.
“The affect it has had on me has been insufferable.”
Picture supply, South Yorkshire Police
She continued: “I’ve been struggling to come back to phrases with Stephen's homicide and the horrible, evil issues which have been accomplished to him.”
The court docket heard the sufferer's trousers had fallen in the course of the assault and the pair had threatened to mutilate him.
Rider and Lethbridge stole a number of items of knickknack which are believed to have been later used to pay for medication.
Choose Wright mentioned that whereas they might not have supposed to kill Mr Koszyczarski, they did intend to trigger him critical hurt, breaking his nostril and inflicting a bleed on his mind.
“They attacked him in probably the most brutal, ruthless and despicable means,” she informed the couple.
“You launched a merciless and intensely violent joint assault towards him.”
'Harassed and intimidated'
Talking to the BBC after the sentencing listening to, Detective Thomas Woodward described the assault on Koszyczarski as “really callous”.
“Nicola Lethbridge and Zoe Rider harassed, intimidated and attacked him in his own residence in probably the most humiliating means, whereas filming the assault,” he mentioned.
“Whereas the responsible verdicts are comforting that justice has been served, this stays a tragic day as a result of it’s one other reminder of how violence can finish a life too quickly.”
He added: “It has a big impact on everybody concerned and leaves household and buddies with ache and voids of their lives.”