Woman denies murder and preventing burial of woman found at bottom of children’s bed

A pregnant woman  has denied murdering a 35-year-old mother in her own home.

Shakira Spencer’s decomposing body was found on the bottom of her child’s bunk bed at her property in Hanwell, west London, by police on 25 September.

Ashana Studholme, 37, denied murder and preventing a lawful burial when she appeared at the Old Bailey.

Shaun Pendlebury, 25 and Lisa Richardson, 43, are also charged with murder but did not enter pleas today.

Police officers were called to the victim’s home in Holbeck Road, Hanwell, just after 4:30pm last Sunday following concerns raised for the welfare of a woman inside.

Ms Spencer was pronounced dead at the scene.

The three alleged killers were arrested on 26 September and charged with murder three days later.

Pendlebury and Studholme are further charged with conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and preventing a lawful burial.

Prosecutor Ben Holt earlier told the court: ‘On 25 September police were called to Flat 9, Lambeth House by a neighbour.

‘That was the home address of Shakira Spencer.

‘The neighbour was concerned about Ms Spencer’s whereabouts having not recently seen her.

‘She had also noticed a smell coming from her flat.

‘Officers forced entry. The body of the deceased was found on the bottom bunk bed in the children’s bedroom and badly decomposed.

‘When spoken to…she had said she had known Shakira Spencer for ten years.

‘She had recently noticed a change in her behaviour.’

The neighbour told police that Ms Spencer had lost weight and had her children taken away by social services, the court heard.

‘A special postmortem was carried out,’ Mr Holt continued.

‘Owing to the decomposition of the body at this stage the findings are inconclusive.’

It is said that the last known sighting of Ms Spencer at her home address was on 12 September.

Pendlebury, of Tewkesbury Road; Richardson, of Broomcroft Avenue, both Ealing, west London; and Studholme, of Greenhill Road, Harrow, are all charged with murder, which Studholme denies.

Pendlebury and Studholme are also charged with preventing a lawful burial, which Studholme denies.

Pendlebury and Richardson will enter their pleas on 3 February with all three set to stand trial on 4 September.