Cellmate found guilty of murdering 'baby killer' Liam Deane

Liam Deane was found dead in his cell on HMP Leeds' F-wing

A prisoner has been found guilty of murdering his "baby killer" cellmate.

John Westland denied killing Liam Deane, 22, from Wakefield, who was found dead in his cell at HMP Leeds in the early hours of 12 November.

Deane had been jailed for the murder of his two-day-old daughter last October.

Westland, 29, who was serving a sentence for rape and grievous bodily harm, was convicted by a jury following a trial at Leeds Crown Court. He is due to be sentenced on Thursday.

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During the week-long trial, jurors heard Deane was found covered in blood in a cell by prison guards at about 05:30 GMT.

The court heard the prisoner used a broken bottle of aftershave to kill his cellmate. Shards of glass were found on a chair near the bunk bed with fingerprints matching Westland's.

Deane also showed signs of asphyxiation caused by pressure to his head and face.

HMP Leeds in Armley holds more than 1,000 inmates

Westland told the court Deane was in financial debt with other prisoners and faced daily threats and taunting because of the nature of his conviction.

He said his cellmate was regularly called a "baby killer" around the prison.

Jurors heard the pair had been smoking the drug Spice and watched TV together until his cellmate fell asleep at about 01:00.

The inmate said he woke up four hours later to find Deane bleeding and had tried to stem the blood.