Sheffield murder: Two women jailed after mistaking man for pedophile
Stephen Koszyczarski, a 60-year-old resident of Sheffield, UK, was the victim of a brutal murder. Two murderers tortured him before his death because they mistakenly believed he was a paedophile.
36-year-old Zoe Rider and 45-year-old Nicola Lethbridge were hunting for a pedophile in Sheffield, a city with over 500,000 residents in northern England. The women targeted Stephen Koszyczarski as a suspect, who had nothing to do with the accusations Zoe and Nicola made against him.
The women attacked the 60-year-old man at night when he was alone at home. The intruders humiliated and abused the victim. They threatened to mutilate the man's genitals when his trousers fell during the struggle. The attackers partially recorded the assault, hence the shocking details of the incident.
They mistook a neighbor for a pedophile
During the trial, footage from Zoe's phone was shown, in which the woman hits Stephen. In the clip, the intruders are heard discussing what to do next: "He's a pedophile, think about your daughter, go back and hit him".
The women left Stephen seriously injured. The 60-year-old man was conscious enough to call the emergency number. An ambulance transported the beaten man to the hospital, where doctors could not save his life.
The police launched an investigation. Officers went door to door, reviewing surveillance footage. They quickly identified the suspects in the crime. Their guilt was confirmed by the running trousers that one of the women was wearing on the night of the murder. Investigators later found on her phone a recording of the moment of the attack, in which she wore the same trousers.
Gruesome mistake. The victim was innocent
"The attackers not only subjected Stephen to psychological and physical torture but also humiliated him during the attack, wrongly accusing him of paedophilia," said Tom Woodward, the lead investigator, during the trial.
Koszyczarski was considered a quiet and shy person and a helpful neighbour. Investigators found no evidence suggesting that the man was a paedophile. On the day of the murder, he visited a local café and talked to the owner. The woman was concerned about his condition because he had no money. The man complained about neighbours who made so much noise that it was difficult for him to sleep.
The jury found Nicola and Zoe guilty of murder and robbery. The sentence will be delivered on June 5.
Source: BBC
