TWO prisoners have been given whole-life sentences for the murder of another inmate at a Worcestershire prison.

Gary Smith and Lee Newell may never be released from prison having been found guilty of killing Subhan Anwar at HMP Long Lartin earlier this year.

All three were originally behind bars serving life sentences for murder, with Mr Anwar, from Batley, West Yorkshire, beginning his sentence in 2009, Smith in 1999 and Newell in 1989.

On February 14 this year, Smith, aged 48 and from Leicestershire, and 44-year-old Newell, from Norfolk, carried makeshift weapons into Mr Anwar’s cell.

About 40 minutes later they contacted prison guards via the cell intercom to say they were holding Mr Anwar hostage and he was dead.

He had been tied up with tape and died when he was strangled with his own jogging bottoms.

“I believe their actions have been cowardly,” said temporary detective chief inspector, Jon Marsden.

“We still do not know exactly what happened that day in Subhan Anwar’s cell and Smith and Newell have not given a reason for why they visited him or an explanation for their actions.”