THREE people have been jailed for murder after detectives discovered they tormented, tortured, starved, burnt and eventually battered to death a woman from West Ealing.

All three were jailed for life at the Old Bailey today (1). They will each serve a minimum of 34 years, minus time spent on remand (522 days).

They were also each sentenced to five years imprisonment for preventing lawful burial.

Ashana Studholme, 39, of Greenhill Road, Harrow, Shaun Pendlebury, 26, of Tewkesbury Road, West Ealing, and Lisa Richardson, 45, of Broomcroft Avenue, Northolt, had all been found guilty of the murder of Shakira Spencer following a 12-week trial.

The judge commended the investigating team for their diligence and hard work in such a distressing case.

In a statement, Shakira's family said: "She was a beautiful soul who cared deeply about people and loved spending time with her family and friends. She was always thoughtful and wanted to be liked. Her eagerness to please people made her vulnerable.

"We have struggled as a family to come to terms with the fact that Shakira was controlled, enslaved and tortured by the defendants in the months leading up to her murder.

“They took over her flat while she slept in the bike shed. They isolated her from her family and friends. Her children were poisoned against her.

“Shakira’s health deteriorated to the point she was almost unrecognisable. Her life was reduced to an empty and miserable existence. We will never be able to comprehend the defendants’ cruelty when Shakira would have only wanted to be their friend.

“We can only think the defendants have done this for their own sadistic pleasure.”

Det Chief Insp Brian Howie said: “No sentence can ever bring Shakira back, or compensate for the loss of such a beloved family member, but my team and I are glad to see the terms handed down today mean these three evil people will spend many, many years behind bars.”

Police were originally called to Holbeck Road, West Ealing, on September 25 after concerns were raised for the welfare of a woman inside.

They forced entry and found the body of a woman who was later identified as 35-year-old Shakira.

She had known the three defendants for some time in what was a complex web of relationships, but in just under a year had fallen under their complete control.

They were charged with her murder three days after their arrest.