Barristers for two ‘lifers’ found guilty of murdering a Huddersfield child-killer in his prison cell have submitted arguments why they should not be given ‘whole life’ sentences.

Lee Newell, 44, and Gary Smith 48, had both pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to Subhan Anwar’s murder at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire on February 14.

Anwar was serving a life sentence, with a minimum tariff of 23 years, for the murder of two-year-old tot Sanam Navsarka at Riddings Road in Deighton in 2008.

After both men were found guilty by unanimous verdicts the court heard that the judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, will be considering imposing ‘whole life sentences.’

Mr Joe Stone QC, for Newell, who was given a ‘tariff’ of 15 years when he was jailed for life in 1989 for murder, said he had submitted his arguments in writing.

Subhan Anwar, who murdered Sanam Navsarka in Huddersfield
Subhan Anwar, who murdered Sanam Navsarka in Huddersfield

Jonas Hankin QC, for Smith, who had a tariff of 18 years when he was jailed in 1999, said he had also put his basic submissions in writing.

But addressing the judge, he argued: “If My Lord is persuaded this is not a case which should be met by a whole life order, a minimum term of 30 years would have this result in the case of Mr Smith and a similar one in the case of Mr Newell.

“Mr Smith would not be released until he was 81, because he has three years still to serve to complete the tariff for his initial sentence of murder.

“Thirty years on top of that would be a very severe penalty indeed; one which could compare to a whole life sentence, given that the average age of a white male in this country is 78 years of age.”

Mr Hankin added that, as a result of an injury to his ankle, Smith has suffered from open sores for 15 months, and the effects of the injury ‘may adversely affect his life expectancy’ – and argued for a tariff of 25 years instead.

Remanding Smith and Newell in custody, Mr Justice Baker said he would consider the submissions over the weekend and sentence them on Monday.