Zoe Rider, 36, and Nicola Lethbridge, 45, humiliated, beat and mutilated vulnerable Stephen Koszyczarski in a “sadistic” attack.

3

3

The evil pair filmed the twisted killing as they branded the 60-year-old a “dirty f***ing wrong’un”.

They were also heard threatening to castrate Stephen using a pair of scissors and claimed he was a “little f***ing n***e”.

Rider and Lethbridge inflicted 22 injuries on the defenceless victim – including a bleed to the brain that proved fatal.

The cold-blooded killers have now been jailed for life with a minimum of 26 years each after they were convicted of murder and robbery.

Sentencing, Judge Sarah Wright 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.”

Sheffield Crown Court heard the drug-fuelled killing unfolded on August 9 when Rider and Lethbridge stormed into Stephen’s flat.

The twisted pair convinced themselves their neighbour was a paedophile despite having no evidence to back their warped claims.

A South Yorkshire Police investigation also uncovered no wrongdoing on his part.

Despite this, the killers were heard telling bloodied Stephen to “wipe your f***ing face” in harrowing footage played to the court.

He then told them “I can’t stop bleeding”, causing one to reply: “Do you think I give a f**k?”

Rider then says to Lethbridge: “He is a [paedophile], think about your daughter, get back in there and hit him”.

At one point during the attack, the pair threatened to mutilate Stephen after his trousers fell down.

The monstrous duo delivered a flurry of blows – kicking and bludgeoning Stephen as he begged them to stop.

They then raided his home and stole jewellery to sell for drugs.

The torture only came to an end when Stephen managed to alert the emergency services and told them he had been attacked.

He was rushed to hospital but sadly couldn’t be saved and died two days after the horror.

A post mortem revealed Stephen had injuries to his head and neck, bruises to his ear, eyes, cheeks and lips.

He also suffered bruising to his chest that was “most likely caused by kicks”.

Rider and Lethbridge were arrested shortly after, with police discovering the sickening video of the attack.

Cream jogging bottoms worn by one of the pair also contained blood belonging to Stephen and DNA of both women in the waistband.

Paying tribute, Mary Jones, who had been friends with Stephen for 38 years, said he was “nothing but kind”.

She added: “I cry most days and most nights – he was such a special man.

“The impact it has had on me has been unbearable.

“I’ve been struggling to come to terms with Stephen’s murder and the horrible and evil things they’ve done to him.”

3