Sadistic trio who enslaved 'kind and caring' mother Shakira Spencer, 35, before starving, torturing and battering her to death are sentenced to life in prison

A sadistic trio who befriended a 'kind and caring' mother before she was tortured, starved and battered to death in 'the most savage and inhumane way imaginable' have today been sentenced to life in prison. Shakira Spencer was found dead in her flat in Hanwell, west London, after a neighbour raised the alarm Ms Spencer had gone from being a 'beautiful, happy, healthy' size 16 to a 'gaunt and skeletal' size six shortly before her death, jurors heard Ashana Studholme, who had befriended the victim, was found guilty of murder Shaun Pendlebury, left, and Lisa Richardson, right, in mugshots after being found guilty of murder Judge Angela Rafferty KC said: 'Images of Shakira before she fell under your influence show her full of life, healthy and smiling - she is unrecognisable at the end, emaciated and broken. Ashana Studholme is seen being arrested at her home for the murder of Ms Spencer Footage shows Lisa Richardson being arrested on suspicion of Ms Spencer's murder Shaun Pendlebury is seen being arrested on suspicion of Ms Spencer's murder Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, from Scotland Yard, said Ms Spencer was murdered in 'the most savage and inhumane way imaginable'. Ms Spencer had gone from being a 'beautiful, happy, healthy' size 16 to a 'gaunt and skeletal' size six shortly before her death, jurors hear Lisa Richardson denied but was convicted of of the murder of Ms Spencer Prosecutor Allison Hunter, KC, said earlier: 'Over the months leading up to her murder the defendants, primarily Studholme and Richardson subdued and dominated Shakira so totally that she was under all of their complete control. Following the sentencing Senior Crown Prosecutor Devi Kharran said: 'Evidence presented during the trial proved that Pendlebury, Studholme and Richardson exercised twisted and sadistic control of Shakira Spencer over an extended period.