Adam Clapham murder: Drug gang who tortured man could be jailed for longer

Adam Clapham, 31, was found dead in September 2022

The jail sentences handed down to a drug gang who tortured and killed a man over a £300 debt could be increased after being referred for review.

Adam Clapham was tied up, attacked with a machete and doused with boiling water in September 2022.

The 31-year-old's body was later found inside a property in Rotherham.

The gang responsible for his death was jailed in July this year but could now have their sentences increased, the Attorney General's Office confirmed.

"Ringleader" Arbab Yusuf, left, and Robert Crookes played leading roles in the violence

Mr Clapham and a second man were imprisoned by six gang members and then beaten, stripped and forced to perform sex acts on each other in a five-hour ordeal before being left for dead on 18 September 2022.

Four men and a 17-year-old boy were jailed for life after being convicted of murder, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of rape.

Teenager Muhammad Ashraf, left, and Kieron Millar, were both jailed for life

They were:

• Arbab Yusuf, of Lord Street, Rotherham - sentenced to a minimum of 39 years in prison

• Robert Crookes, 31, of no fixed address - sentenced to a minimum of 37 years

• Kieron Millar, 30, of Mount Pleasant, Rotherham - sentenced to a minimum of 30 years

• Muhammed Ashraf, 18, of Fraser Road, Rotherham - sentenced to a minimum of 28 years

• A 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age -sentenced to a minimum of 21 years

Lynette Myers was jailed for 12 years

Lynette Myers, 39, of Hounsfield Crescent, Rotherham, was jailed for at least 12 years for causing grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment.

A spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office (AGO) confirmed all sentences were now under review.

They told the BBC: "I can confirm the AGO has received a referral. The case is under review and the deadline to refer to the Court of Appeal is 21 August."

If referred, the Court of Appeal will then decide whether the sentences were unduly lenient.