Prisoner discovered strangled with ‘they killed us’ scrawled on his again after ‘execution’

Jonathan Alcide, 36, has been found guilty of murdering his cellmate Neil Ashby, 49, by strangulation at HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire. He told prison officers ‘I’ve killed my padmate’

A lag who strangled and “executed” his cellmate before informing prison officers “I’ve killed my padmate” has been convicted of murder.

The body of Neil Ashby, 49, was discovered with the chilling words “They killed us” scrawled on his back, lying on his bed in the cell he shared with Jonathan Alcide, 36, at HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire in July last year.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Mr Ashby had expressed concerns to other inmates about Alcide’s mental health. He was strangled by Alcide either on the evening of June 30 or in the early hours of July 1, Stafford Crown Court heard during the trial.

Alcide, described by a prison officer as “eerily nonchalant” after he alerted staff to Mr Ashby’s death by pressing the buzzer in their cell at 6.12am on July 1 and announcing “I’ve killed my padmate”, denied murder. He claimed he was not guilty due to insanity and instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Dressed in a grey prison tracksuit and surrounded by five officers in the dock at Stafford Crown Court on Friday, Alcide showed no emotion as a jury of eight women and four men found him guilty of murder.

One juror wept in the dock, dabbing her eyes with a tissue as the foreman delivered the unanimous verdict following more than nine hours of deliberation. Judge Avik Mukherjee informed Alcide that he would be sentenced on November 17.

During the trial, prosecuting barrister Sally Howes KC informed the jury that it was a “cold-blooded, deliberate murder which had been contemplated some days in advance of its ultimate execution”.

A week prior to the killing, Alcide had requested the prison doctor to declare him unfit for work due to “severe post-traumatic stress disorder and paranoia”, and following his arrest, he told a forensic psychologist that he was an “angel turned into demon”, Ms Howes revealed.

The court heard from fellow inmates at Stoke Heath who described Mr Ashby as “quiet and decent” and a “nice lad”. Despite expressing concerns about Alcide’s mental health, Mr Ashby had declined multiple offers to change cells.

Mr Ashby, who would fetch meals for Alcide after he stopped leaving his room, informed other prisoners that Alcide had begun reading the Koran, was developing a fear of God, and was contemplating suicide.

He had voiced complaints that Alcide was keeping him awake at night, and other inmates noticed that the defendant was becoming less sociable, preferring to stay in his cell with the curtains drawn.

On June 30 last year, Mr Ashby confided in another prisoner that Alcide had said: “I’m worried I’m going to strangle you, Neil.” Mr Ashby’s body was found on his lower bunk bed on July 1, after Alcide, who had superficial cuts on his wrist and blood on his white shirt, called a prison officer to their cell.

Words were scrawled on the cell wall in pen and blood, including “I did not slay them” and “they killed us… help”. After Alcide repeatedly claimed he had murdered Mr Ashby, a prison officer called for reinforcements.

Upon entering the cell, another officer described Alcide as being “really cool and calm” and, when questioned about his actions, he responded: “I’m sorry boss, I’ve killed him.”

Judge Mukherjee expressed his gratitude to the jurors for their commitment, stating: “I have seen how hard you have concentrated and how seriously you have taken your role. I can see what a toll it has taken on you.

“You have performed a very important public duty. This was an upsetting case and you have heard evidence that you may have found distressing.”

The judge granted the jury members exemption from future jury service for life, but invited them to attend Alcide’s sentencing hearing if they wished. A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Ashby had died due to applied neck pressure, most likely caused by a neck hold or a “broad, soft ligature”.

Ms Howes informed the court that Alcide had been assessed by a consultant forensic psychiatrist appointed by the Crown, as well as two other consultant forensic psychiatrists acting for the defence.

One of the defence experts suggested that Alcide might have been experiencing a severe depressive episode with psychosis, while the other proposed he could be suffering from a delusional disorder, ongoing mental and behavioural disorders due to previous dependence on cannabis, and paranoid delusions.

The Crown’s expert stated it was for the jury to decide whether they accepted Alcide’s account of his mental state, and if they did, it was his belief that he was suffering from psychosis in the form of paranoid delusions at the time.

Addressing the defendant, who stood in the dock with his hands folded in front of him, the judge announced: “I am going to sentence you on November 17. Before then, there will be psychiatrists who will want to speak to you. You are not obliged to speak to them, but they will be writing reports on you.”

He informed Alcide that it was “not a choice, it is an obligation” for him to attend his sentencing hearing, to which the defendant responded: “Yes, I understand.”

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