This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24211219
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Subhan Anwar murder: Inmates jailed for life | Subhan Anwar murder: Inmates jailed for life |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two prisoners have been told they will spend the rest of their lives in jail for strangling a fellow inmate to death with his tracksuit trousers. | Two prisoners have been told they will spend the rest of their lives in jail for strangling a fellow inmate to death with his tracksuit trousers. |
| Subhan Anwar, 23, from Huddersfield, was found dead in his cell at HMP Long Lartin, Worcestershire, on 14 February. | Subhan Anwar, 23, from Huddersfield, was found dead in his cell at HMP Long Lartin, Worcestershire, on 14 February. |
| He was serving at least 23 years for the murder of his partner's two-year-old daughter. | He was serving at least 23 years for the murder of his partner's two-year-old daughter. |
| Gary Smith, 48, and Lee Newell, 44, were both handed whole-life sentences at Warwick Crown Court. | Gary Smith, 48, and Lee Newell, 44, were both handed whole-life sentences at Warwick Crown Court. |
| The pair were convicted last week for what the judge described as the "chilling" murder of Anwar. | |
| Newell and Smith were already serving life sentences for murders committed in 1988 and 1998 respectively. | Newell and Smith were already serving life sentences for murders committed in 1988 and 1998 respectively. |
| 'Cold-blooded' | 'Cold-blooded' |
| They refused to leave the cells at Warwick Crown Court to hear their sentences. | |
| Addressing his remarks to the men despite their absence, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said he believed Anwar did not resist because he thought he was being taken hostage. | |
| "One of the most chilling aspects of this case was the almost complete lack of emotion shown by either of you after the killing," Mr Justice Baker said. | "One of the most chilling aspects of this case was the almost complete lack of emotion shown by either of you after the killing," Mr Justice Baker said. |
| "It is against this background that I have to consider whether the circumstances of this murder are such that it is one of those exceptional cases where its seriousness is of such magnitude so as to require the making of a whole-life order. | "It is against this background that I have to consider whether the circumstances of this murder are such that it is one of those exceptional cases where its seriousness is of such magnitude so as to require the making of a whole-life order. |
| "In my judgment they are - you have both murdered others before, on this occasion you did so in a cold-blooded manner, having deliberately lulled your victim into a false sense of security." | "In my judgment they are - you have both murdered others before, on this occasion you did so in a cold-blooded manner, having deliberately lulled your victim into a false sense of security." |
| Jurors heard that Smith calmly made Newell a cup of hot chocolate, even sweetening it with icing sugar, during a stand-off with prison staff after Anwar was killed in his cell at the prison, near Evesham. | Jurors heard that Smith calmly made Newell a cup of hot chocolate, even sweetening it with icing sugar, during a stand-off with prison staff after Anwar was killed in his cell at the prison, near Evesham. |
| 'Moral code' | |
| The inmates were also convicted of stealing personal items, including prayer beads, a watch and an earring. | The inmates were also convicted of stealing personal items, including prayer beads, a watch and an earring. |
| Mr Justice Baker said there was "nothing spontaneous" about Anwar's death. | |
| While he said the motive for the murder may never be known, he added: "In the course of the trial the jury heard evidence about the type of moral code which exists within the prison population. | |
| "A code which may be enforced by the use of verbal abuse, physical violence and even, on occasion, death. | |
| "It may be no coincidence that the deceased in this case had been convicted of killing a young child." | |
| Newell and Smith were initially prepared to sit in the dock to hear their sentence but demanded to be taken back to the cells after the judge gave permission for Anwar's parents to sit in the well of the court rather than the public gallery. |