PRISONERS who strangled another inmate with jogging bottoms have been found guilty and branded “animals” by the family of their victim.

Gary David Smith, aged 48 and Lee William Newell, 44 were convicted at Leamington Crown Court today of killing a fellow prisoner.

Subhan Anwar died at HMP Long Lartin near Evesham on Thursday, February 14. Smith and Newell will be sentenced next week.

All three men were serving life sentences for murder at the high security prison. Anwar was imprisoned in February 2009 at Bradford Crown Court, Gary Smith in Leicestershire in 1999 and Lee Newell in Norfolk 1989.

Smith and Newell visited Anwar in his cell at 5.58pm and forty minutes later, they contacted prison guards via the cell intercom to say they were holding Anwar hostage and he was dead. They had locked the cell door from the inside.

Newell and Smith eventually gave themselves up to the prison authorities at 8.15pm. Anwar, of Batley, West Yorkshire was found dead in his cell. He had been tied up with tape and died when he was asphyxiated with his own jogging bottoms.

Temporary detective chief inspector Jon Marsden, who led the investigation for West Mercia Police, said: “We still do not know exactly what happened that day in Subhan Anwar’s cell and Smith and Newell have not given a reason as to why they visited him that day. I believe they have been utterly cowardly for not giving an explanation for their actions. “Both were well known to their victim and there was no sign of a forced entry or a struggle in the cell.

"Newell and Smith have blamed each other for the killing and have refused to take any personal responsibility for his death. “However, I believe this was a joint enterprise from the outset and, for whatever reason, they went to Subhan Anwar’s cell with the intention of killing him.

West Mercia Police has been asked by the family to release the following statement: “We are standing here in disbelief at a day we thought we would never see. No family of any person in or out of prison should go through the pain, torment and loss of a person like we are. “We believed Subhan was innocent of the crime he was imprisoned for and despite his murder, we will continue our attempts for the case to be appealed. “Thursday February 14 changed our lives forever because two animals brutally murdered Subhan; he trusted Newell and Smith and called them friends. “He had been in Long Lartin prison for four years and he had built up friendships with prisoners and officers.

He was a very young knowledgeable man: he had proven to be a model prisoner, was a wing representative, helped prisoners to be heard, was well behaved and never caused any trouble. “Subhan touched the lives of many people who knew him both within society and in prison. He was a young, kind, sincere and caring guy who could also be described as a cheeky chap with a great sense of humour.

“We as a family are devastated by this loss. Our lives will never be the same. We have received many condolences, cards, letters and even a collection from other prisoners in Long Lartin. They, like us, are in complete disbelief, shocked and saddened by how Subhan was killed by Smith and Newell.”