Two jailed for murder of Batley man

Two career criminals who murdered a 61-year-old man in his own home when they tied him up and tortured him in an ordeal lasting up to an hour have been jailed for life.

Craig Stanton, 43, and Alexander Mackay, 47, broke into Saleem Butt's house in Batley, West Yorkshire, looking for cash for drugs and subjected the "lonely'' and "isolated'' householder to a "dreadful'' series of attacks, Judge Rodney Jameson QC told Leeds Crown Court.

Judge Jameson said Mr Butt eventually died from asphyxia after a knife and a screwdriver were used to torture him to get information about his property and cash.

He said it was not known whether Mr Butt died before Stanton and Mackay left the house on Hyrstlands Road or whether the pair left him to die still restrained and gagged.

Judge Jameson said: "If he was alive, he was plainly incapable of calling for help.''

The judge said it was clear from forensic evidence that Mr Butt was alive for at least 30 minutes after the attacks on him began.

"The scientific and pathological evidence paints a dreadful picture of events,'' Judge Jameson said.

The judge described how Stanton and Mackay both have long criminal records and targeted Mr Butt, who he described as "a lonely and, in some respects, isolated man''.

He said they drank alcohol and probably smoked crack cocaine before getting into the house through a window in April and staying in the property for almost exactly an hour.

The judge said: "Neither of you have ever told the truth about what happened during that hour.''

On Monday, Judge Jameson jailed both defendants for life, ordering Stanton, of Harold Wilson Court, Huddersfield, to be detained for at least 25 years before he is considered for release and Mackay, of School Crescent, Dewsbury Moor, to be held for a minimum of 23 years.

Both men were found guilty of murder following a trial earlier this year.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, one of Mr Butt's sons described the pain of imagining the ordeal his father went through.

He said neither of the defendants have shown "an ounce of remorse''.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Nicholson, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "The murder of Saleem Butt was a horrific offence in which Stanton and McKay subjected him to a sustained and exceptionally brutal attack in his own home.

"The level of violence they inflicted on Saleem was frankly inexplicable and point to the very real danger these two men pose.''

Mr Nicholson said: "Mr Butt was very well known and was a keen gardener who was always happy to do favours for his neighbours.

"I know his murder created real shock in his community and I wish to thank residents who assisted our inquiries to locate these very dangerous men.''