A Polish prostitute who beat her friend to death with a hammer and misled her family over her whereabouts has been sentenced to life in jail.

Edyta Zawadska, 28, of Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond, will serve at least 17 years in prison for bludgeoning Bernadeta Nawracaj to death.

Isleworth Crown Court heard Ms Nawracaj welcomed Zawadska into her family to work as a nanny for the three young children, but following an argument she moved out.

Both of the women worked as prostitutes and Zawadska is alleged to have grown jealous of her friend’s growing clients and stole money from her.

After beating her friend with a claw hammer to death in a bloody attack, Zawadska stole a credit card and treated herself to a £5,000 spending spree and drove around in her Nissan Juke.

Ms Nawracaj, 43, was reported missing by her sister on November 27 2013. Zawadska claimed she had not seen her former flatmate since November 15.

Days after she went to the police her sister received a text message which said: “Hey, don't worry about me. You did wrong to call the police". Officers believe the text message was sent by Zawadska. She also told the family she had spoken to her and she was fine.

Officers searched her home in The Towers, Richmond, on November 30 and discovered Ms Nawracaj’s body in a pool of blood inside the flat.

Detective Inspector Donna Convery of the Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) said: "Zawadska had recently argued with Bernadeta about money she believed was owed to her.



"She exacted brutal revenge and then stole anything of financial value from the victim.



"She deliberately misled friends and family by telling them that Bernadeta was fine and had been in contact, painting herself as Bernadeta's close friend rather than her brutal murderer."