A couple who subjected a pensioner to weeks of violence before one of them murdered her have been jailed.

Xyaire Howard and Chelsea Grant repeatedly stole 71-year-old Susan Hawkey's bank card, even stealing her house keys, before spending thousands of pounds of her money after brutally murdering her.

Howard, 23, of Press Road, Neasden, was jailed for a minimum of 31 years after being found guilty of her murder.

Chelsea Grant, 28,  also of Press Road, pleaded guilty to robbing Susan on multiple occasions before the trial in September but was found not guilty of murder.

On Wednesday (December 13) she was sentenced to 15 years in jail, with a minimum of 10 years to be served in custody.

This Is Local London: Victim Susan Hawkey was a vulnerable 71-year-old pensioner who lived alone and targeted by a cruel pairVictim Susan Hawkey was a vulnerable 71-year-old pensioner who lived alone and targeted by a cruel pair (Image: Met)

Susan was found dead in her home in Neasden after a neighbour became concerned about her on September 26.

Police forced their way into the property in Aylesbury Street and found the pensioner’s badly decomposed body under a duvet.

The jury heard how Susan led a lonely and routine existence. She was elderly, of very small stature and lived alone with very little contact with friends and family.

She rarely left her home, but when she did she often took the same route to the shops and the post office with her cash card.

She was subjected to weeks of violence with Grant and Howard, who lived a few roads away from her and were a couple at the time, identifying her as an ideal victim and preying on her.

This Is Local London: Xyaire Howard, 23, will spend 31 years in jail for the murder of pensioner Susan Hawkins who was found dead in her Neasden homeXyaire Howard, 23, will spend 31 years in jail for the murder of pensioner Susan Hawkins who was found dead in her Neasden home (Image: Met)

Grant and Howard followed her to her home and violently mugged her for her ATM card multiple times in July and August 2022.

Grant and Howard first mugged Susan on July 27 and were frustrated when she quickly cancelled her bank card.

In a further mugging on Verney Road on August 22, they obtained her bank card and her house keys.

The following day they went to her house and again robbed her, but Susan fought back against them.

Susan did not notify the police about these incidents but did contact her bank to cancel her card and her Housing Association to change the locks on her doors, Scotland Yard said.

She also told her neighbours about what happened.

The pensioner was last seen alive on September 6.

She was found dead shortly before midday on 26 September.

Grant and Howard had been seen walking to and from Susan's home on the afternoon of 6 September 6.

This Is Local London: Chelsea Grant was cleared of murder but not robbery following the cruel death of pensioner Susan HawkinsChelsea Grant was cleared of murder but not robbery following the cruel death of pensioner Susan Hawkins (Image: Met)

They had obtained her PIN number which they used to begin an extravagant shopping spree, spending thousands of pounds on her bank card, which only ended when they were arrested on September 28 outside McDonalds in Wembley.

Searching their mobile phones, police found photos of Hawkey’s ATM cards and search terms relating to transaction limits for bank cards and the smell of dead bodies.

Det Chief Insp Neil Rawlinson, who led the investigation, said: “This was a brutal murder that followed a sustained campaign of abuse and violence.

"The victim was a vulnerable adult who was ruthlessly pursued and subjected to unthinkable violence.

"Grant and Howard are both dangerous individuals, who have thankfully been brought to justice."