TWO men have been jailed for life for the murder of a 50-year-old woman.

Diane Elmer, of Austin Road, Hayes, was knifed in the heart in Silverdale Road, near the Redbrick Estate, Hayes, on March 9 last year, and died in hospital.

Tony Lee, 20, formerly of Brearley Close, Uxbridge was given a life sentence for the murder on Friday, May 13, at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court.

The judge recommended he must serve a minimum of 16 years before parole is considered.

Lee was also sentenced to seven years and a further three years for GBH assaults on other residents of the same estate, to run concurrently.

Ahmed Shirze, 19, formerly of Hobart Lane, Hayes, was also given a life sentence for the murder, with a recommendation from the judge to serve a minimum of ten years.

A 17-year-old male youth, who can not be named for legal reasons, was also sentenced to four months imprisonment for assault on residents of Redbrick Estate.

Miss Elmer was attacked on March 9 last year because Lee was trying to set up a drug dealing empire on an estate and wrongly believed she was a "grass", the court heard.

She named Lee as her killer as she lay dying on the floor after being stabbed and beaten with a pole.

A post mortem at Uxbridge mortuary gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the heart.

Speaking after the hearing, DCI Dave Cobb said: "We are pleased that Diane's family have been able to see justice done today.

"The conviction has been the result of 14 months of hard work by dedicated officers of the Metropolitan Police Service Specialist Crime Directorate and will reassure the public that we do not tolerate gangs who use violence to intimidate."