Each of the women pictured here have been sent to begin lengthy prison sentences during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held over the last 17 years.
The longest sentence passed down is to Sarah Barrass, who, in 2019, was ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years behind bars for the murder of two of her sons, Tristan and Blake, aged 13 and 14 respectively. She killed the boys alongside her half-brother and lover Brandon Machin, who fathered all six of her children, after they became concerned social services may have learned of their unnatural relationship. The murderous pair also attempted to kill their other four children.
Also included are Zoe Rider and Nicola Lethbridge who were jailed for a combined total of 52 years last year for the “callous” and “sadistic” murder of their neighbour, 60-year-old Stephen Mark Koszyczarski. The two women “invaded his home, intent on helping themselves to his property” by threatening and using violence against him , before “setting about him in the most brutal, heartless and despicable manner.”
Leonie Mason was just 23-years-old when she was jailed for life in 2017, to serve a minimum of 19 years behind bars, for the murder of her on-and-off again ex-boyfriend, Craig Preston. She teamed up with her jealous new lover Shiraz Bashir, along with three teenage accomplices, to kill Mr Preston, before disposing of his body in a lay-by, off Town Lane, Rotherham.
Amanda Spencer was also just 23 when she was first convicted of multiple crimes in 2014 after she forced vulnerable girls who visited Sheffield’s Castle Market, which has since been demolished, into prostitution. Three years later, Spencer had more time added to her sentence - taking her total sentence to 15 years - after she was convicted of further offences relating to child prostitution at the conclusion of a 2017 trial.
5. Kerry Taylor: Jailed for life to serve a minimum of 18 years for murdering neighbour
55-year-old Simone Hancock was fatally stabbed by her neighbour, Kerry Taylor, in a flat on Ravenscroft Place, Richmond, on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Taylor, previously, of Ravenscroft Place, Stradbroke, Sheffield was found guilty of Ms Hancock’s murder in January 2021, following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. Judge Peter Kelson KC sentenced Taylor, then aged 41, to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 18 years. Many people took to social media to pay tribute to beloved mother and grandmother, Ms Hancock, following her sudden death, with loved ones describing her as ‘beautiful’ and ‘lovely’. Yasmin Gregory said: “This is my sister and we her family are totally heartbroken to have her taken away from us in this cowardly way. She was beautiful with a heart of gold.” Her niece, Leanne Joel, added: “My aunt, wish I'd told u (sic) I did love you.” Simone’s sister Sopheana Cartledge, described her as ‘my baby sista (sic)’ and added: “I can’t deal with it, I really can’t.” Linda Elizabeth, Deborah Hague and Paula Young all described Simone as ‘lovely’. Debbie Gray described the death as ‘so, so sad’ and added: “Known you forever. Rest in peace Simone.” | SYP
6. Zoe-Rider and Nicola Lethbridge: Women jailed for life to serve a combined minimum of 52 years for murdering neighbour
60-year-old Stephen Mark Koszyczarski died in the early hours of August 11, 2023, after being found seriously injured at his home in Fraser Drive, Woodseats, Sheffield, around 30 hours earlier, on the evening of August 9. Jurors convicted Stephen’s neighbours, Zoe Rider, then aged 36, and Nicola Lethbridge, then aged 45, of his murder, during a Sheffield Crown Court trial, which concluded in May 2024. Duing a Sheffield Crown Court hearing held on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Judge Sarah Wright jailed Rider (left) and Lethbridge (right) for life for their attack upon Stephen, who was described by those closest to him as ‘kind,’ ‘generous’ and as someone with a ‘heart of gold’. “On the 9th of August last year you were both clearly fuelled by drugs and probably alcohol. 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,” Judge Wright told the pair. She continued: “You invaded his home, intent on helping yourself to his property by threatening and using violence against him. You set about him in the most brutal, heartless and despicable manner. You launched a vicious and extremely violent joint attack upon him. You exposed his genitals, threatened to mutilate him and shouted obscenities at him. “You singularly failed to listen to his denials of the accusation or to offer him any compassion when he was clearly injured. The purpose of your attack was to steal from him and to humiliate, terrify and hurt him.” Judge Wright jailed both women for life, with each to serve a minimum of 26 years in prison | SYP
7. Josie Hollis: Jailed for 15 years for manslaughter over young father's death
Jordan Hill was just 21-years-old when he was fatally stabbed in the hallway of his flat on Southey Avenue, Sheffield in March 2017, while his girlfriend was just metres away in the lounge The post-mortem examination concluded Jordan suffered a number of stab wounds, two of which had caused significant injuries to his internal organs. In the weeks following Mr Hill's death, Bradley Onfroy and Josie Hollis were both charged with Jordan’s murder. Hollis, then of NFA, was due to stand trial with Onfroy in February 2018, however she entered a guilty plea to manslaughter and robbery at an earlier court hearing in October 2017. In July 2018, Hollis, then aged 25, was sentenced to 15-years in prison for manslaughter, with a sentence of 12-years to run concurrently for robbery. Onfroy, then of NFA, was found guilty of murder and robbery by a jury in February 2018, following a two week-trial at Sheffield Crown Court. He has been sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 33-years for murder, with a sentence of 15-years to run concurrently for robbery. Speaking after the pair were jailed, Mr Hill's family released a statement in which they said: “Jordan was a much loved, son, brother, grandson, nephew, father and friend. He had everything to live for and has been taken from us far too soon." | SYP
8. Rebecca Moore: Jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 15 years, for murder of man in park stabbing
In the early hours of March 9, 2024, Sacad Ali was knifed repeatedly by teenagers Jack Douglas and Barney Griffin after Rebecca Moore ‘lured’ him out to Ponderosa Park ‘under the promise of sexual favours’. Douglas and Griffin admitted murdering Mr Ali, who was just 24-years-old when he died. Moore, then aged 25, denied murder, and at the conclusion of her trial in November 2024 jurors found her unanimously guilty of the offence following three hours and 19 minutes of deliberation. She was convicted on a joint enterprise basis, meaning she does not needed to have inflicted violence herself to be guilty of murder. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, the Recorder of Sheffield, jailed Moore, formerly of Springvale Walk, Upperthorpe, for life and fixed her minimum term at 15 years. Due to their age, Judge Richardson told Griffin and Douglas, formerly of Brightholmlee Lane, Wharncliffe Side, that while they would, in effect receive a life sentence, it would be referred to as detention at His Majesty’s Pleasure. Douglas, then aged 17, received a minimum term of 15 years, while Griffin, then aged 18, received one of 16 years. Prosecutor Simon Kealey KC told the court that the motive for the attack related to drug dealing, and the belief that Mr Ali was dealing Class A drugs on the ‘turf’ or ‘patch’ all three defendants claimed ownership of through their involvement with the Frank drug line, which was in operation in Sheffield at the time of the killing. Douglas and Griffin were known to be drug dealing around the time Mr Ali was killed, while Moore was dependent on both alcohol and crack cocaine, and earned money through sex work to fund her addictions, the court has previously been told. Detailing the stabbing, Mr Kealey said Griffin, of Dixon Drive, Wharncliffe Side, Sheffield and Douglas, formerly of Brightholmlee Lane, Wharncliffe Side, Sheffield, were both armed with knives, most likely machetes, when they arrived at Ponderosa Park in the early hours of March 9. | SYP