A person accused of torturing and beating a lady to dying has informed jurors he discovered her in a “unhealthy approach” inside a cabinet and gave her soup.
Shaun Pendlebury is on trial for the homicide of 35-year-old Shakira Spencer alongside his girlfriend Ashana Studholme, 38, and their pal Lisa Richardson, 44.
The prosecution allege the “sadistic” defendants scalded Ms Spencer and fed her ketchup sachets after she fell below their “full management”.
She went from being a “lovely, joyful, wholesome” measurement 16 to a “gaunt and skeletal” measurement six shortly earlier than her dying, jurors had been beforehand informed.
It’s alleged Ms Spencer died after being subjected to closing beatings between September 11 and 12 2022 at Studholme’s residence earlier than being moved to her flat and left to rot.
Ms Spencer’s badly decomposed physique was discovered after neighbours noticed maggots coming from her flat in Ealingwest London.
Giving proof on Tuesday, Pendlebury, 26, mentioned he had nothing to do with Ms Spencer’s dying and had provided to name her an ambulance after discovering her in a nasty state.
He informed jurors he visited her twice final September 13 to take her meals and verify on her.
The primary time, he discovered her after listening to a noise from a cabinet, he mentioned.
He informed jurors: “To me, she appeared in a nasty approach.
“I requested if she wished me to name her an ambulance. She mentioned no, no, she’s fantastic.
“I gave her the soup and mentioned I might come again and see her later.”
On his return, he helped her out of the cabinet and to a youngsters’s mattress and helped her with the soup as a result of it was too thick for her to drink by a straw, jurors heard.
Pendlebury mentioned he solely discovered Ms Spencer had died when Studholme, who was her neighbour, known as him.
He informed jurors he agreed to go and verify for himself as a result of he “couldn’t fairly imagine it”.
He mentioned: “I seen Shakira principally immobile on the mattress…
“I left right away. I went again to Ashana and informed her she was right.”
At a gathering at Richardson’s flat, Studholme was upset and informed her boyfriend she “couldn’t return to jail”, he mentioned.
The defendant informed jurors he suggested the 2 girls to contact police and say there had been an altercation and an accident.
They allegedly responded by telling him he ought to do it.
Within the early hours of final September 16, Pendlebury went again to Ms Spencer’s flat to get his garments and trainers, jurors had been informed.
He mentioned: “Earlier that night I made a decision no person was making sense of something. I eliminated my stuff from the property. I didn’t wish to be concerned in something.”
He informed jurors his co-defendants went with him and cleaned the flat.
Defence barrister David Bentley KC requested if he had something to do with Ms Spencer’s dying or occasions resulting in it.
Pendlebury mentioned: “No.”
Pendlebury, of Ealing; Richardson, of Ealing; and Studholme, of Harrowwest London, deny homicide and stopping Ms Spencer’s lawful burial.
The trial continues.