‘Sadistic’ women who filmed themselves torturing man to death jailed for at least 26 years
Two “sadistic” women who filmed themselves torturing a man to death have been jailed for at least 26 years.
Warning: This story contains descriptions of graphic violence and threats
Zoe Rider, 36, and Nicola Lethbridge, 45, were sentenced for a “vicious and extremely violent joint attack” on 60-year-old neighbour Stephen Koszyczarski in his Sheffield flat.
The court heard how they recorded their attack on the vulnerable man as they falsely accused him of being a paedophile on 9 August 2023.
Mr Koszyczarski was robbed by the pair and was left bleeding and with 22 separate injuries around his face, head and body. He died from his injuries two days later.
Stephen Koszyczarski. Pic: South Yorkshire Police
On Wednesday, Rider and Lethbridge were jailed for life with a minimum term of 26 years.
They were also sentenced to 13 years in prison for robbery, to run concurrently with their life sentences.
Judge Sarah Wright told Sheffield Crown Court the pair were “both clearly fuelled by drugs and probably alcohol” when they carried out the attack.
She said: “Having heard the evidence in the case, I have absolutely no doubt that you went into Stephen’s flat together in order to threaten, attack and rob him, no doubt to finance further drug taking.
“For whatever reason, during the course of that robbery, you decided jointly to accuse Stephen completely spuriously, and without any reason to do so, of being a paedophile.
“You set about him in the most brutal, heartless and despicable manner. You launched a vicious and extremely violent joint attack upon him.
“You exposed his genitals, threatened to mutilate him and shouted obscenities at him. You singularly failed to listen to his denials of the accusation or to offer him any compassion when he was clearly injured.”
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Jurors at the trial were shown harrowing footage shot by Rider and Lethbridge, which included them threatening to mutilate Mr Koszyczarski with scissors.
At one point he pleads with them to stop and one of the defendants replies: “Do you think I give a f***?”
The jury was told Mr Koszyczarski died from a blunt-force force injury to his head which caused a bleed on his brain.
Among the many other injuries he suffered was bruising to his chest caused by kicks.
Prosecutors described the attack as “sadistic”.
Mr Koszyczarski used a call line to summon an ambulance as the pair left him fatally injured.
South Yorkshire Police said that after the alarm recording at around 11.30pm, but before the ambulance service arrived, the women had left the man critically injured and went to a nearby property.
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Lethbridge and Rider were arrested after police carried out door-to-door enquiries and reviewed the alarm recording.
After their arrests, officers found a video of the pair assaulting Mr Koszyczarski on a mobile phone.
Rider and Lethbridge, both of Fraser Drive, Woodseats, Sheffield, were found guilty of murder and robbery in May.
Detective chief inspector Tom Woodward said Mr Koszyczarski was “a quiet man” who “kept himself to himself and just went about his business”.
The senior officer said the victim’s death was “callous”, adding: “Lethbridge and Rider had not only subjected Stephen to mental torture and physical abuse but they humiliated him during the attack wrongly accusing him of being a paedophile which was simply not the case.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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