Prisoner who fatally kicked and stamped on fellow inmate is jailed for life

A prisoner who kicked and stamped on a fellow inmate who had asked to move cells the day before he was killed has been jailed for life for murder.

Mahir Abdulrahman, also known as Mahir Mohamed, was found unresponsive in his cell at HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire at 7.53am on August 20 last year, around half an hour after Ashirie Smith, 19, and Thierry Robinson, 21, were caught on CCTV entering his room.

The 31-year-old Sudanese national suffered multiple abrasions and bruises to his head and neck consistent with a sustained attack, as well as fractures to his ribs, and was pronounced dead at 8.44am despite attempts by prison officers and paramedics to save him.

A jury at Leicester Crown Court found Smith guilty of murder and Robinson not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday. Smith was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 and a half years and Robinson was sentenced to 11 years on Thursday.

A third defendant, Shaan Karim, 38, was found not guilty of murder or manslaughter, Leicestershire Police said.

CCTV released by the force shows the moment Robinson and Smith entered Mr Abdulrahman’s cell at around 7.26am before leaving around 37 seconds later.

Smith then re-entered the cell and left again shortly after.

Another inmate told a prison officer she should check on Mr Abdulrahman, and he was found slumped in the cell and was later pronounced dead.

The trial was told Mr Abdulrahman had been stamped on and kicked to the head and neck, causing a fatal bleed at the base of his brain, and that he had previously had tuberculosis which had weakened the bones in his neck.

Prosecution counsel Michael Burrows KC told the trial that Mr Abdulrahman, who was serving a 35-week sentence for a sexual offence, had asked to be moved from his cell the day before he died because he did not feel safe.

The trial was told Karim had phoned his mother from prison and said other inmates had been “terrorising him for days” and “bullying” him.

There was also an alleged incident involving Smith and Robinson the day before Mr Abdulrahman was killed in which he had thrown water from a kettle on them.

Mr Burrow said that on November 25, after Smith had been moved to a different prison following the fatal attack, he had “let slip” in anger what he had done, telling a prison officer: “I’m in for murder, I have already dropped one body and I will take another if you keep f****** with me.”

Detective Inspector Mark Parish, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “The injuries suffered by Mahir Abdulrahman showed a serious, sustained attack had taken place which ultimately led to his death.

“Thanks to the hard work of the investigation team, Smith and Robinson have been convicted in court and will now have to face responsibility for their actions.”

Serco prison director Wyn Jones said: “Any death in prison is a tragedy but the murder of Mr Abdulrahman was a heinous act. My thoughts remain with his family and those affected by his untimely death.

“Since the tragedy, our focus has been to bring those responsible to justice by working with the police to secure a conviction. I hope the verdicts will bring closure for his family.”