Today (Wednesday 5 June) two Sheffield women have been jailed following the murder of Stephen Koszyczarski.
Nicola Lethbridge, 45, and Zoe Rider, 36, have both been sentenced to life with a minimum terms of 26 years.
Stephen was brutally murdered on the 9 August 2023 in his own home in the Woodseats area of Sheffield.
The good ‘old fashioned’ police work which led to the pair being brought before the courts, was commended by the judge, Her Honour Sarah Wright, during her remarks.
A close friend of Stephen has released the following statement:
I am really struggling to come to terms with Steve’s murder and the horrid, evil things they have done to him. I still hear Steve’s voice. I find myself answering to him occasionally, then I remember he’s not there. It is heartbreaking that we won’t see him again.
I cry most days and most nights, he was such a special man, he would help anybody, he had a heart of gold and I will forever miss his visits to my house. Just why these people are so bad and why they did the things they did to him, why have they murdered him, when he should still be alive and enjoying his life will always be a question I won’t get the answer to.
Since he was taken from me, I have worn a locket with his photograph inside, he is smiling on that photo and that is how I will remember him.
Lethbridge and Rider, both of Fraser Drive, appeared before Sheffield Crown Court on 16 May and were found guilty of murder and robbery by a jury after just one hour of deliberations. They appeared before the same court today for sentencing.
They were both sentenced to 13 years for robbery. Rider was also sentenced for other maters not relating to this incident including driving offences. These are all to run concurrently.
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