Prisoner given life sentence for murdering cellmate at Leyland jail

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 18:58 · Archive

Shaun Newton, 35, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering fellow inmate Tony Joynes, 47, in their cell at HMP Garth near Leyland in July.

Shaun Newton, 35, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Tony Joynes, 47, in their shared cell at HMP Garth near Leyland on 12 July last year. Newton killed Joynes by compressing his neck. A jury at Preston Crown Court heard that the two men had been cellmates for around six months and were locked in their cell on D wing at 5pm, with staff carrying out welfare checks during the night.

When staff performed welfare checks on the morning of 13 July, Newton told them he believed Joynes was dead. CPR was attempted but Joynes was pronounced dead at the scene. An abrasion was visible on Joynes's neck, with blood found on bedsheets near his pillow. A Home Office postmortem confirmed the cause of death as neck compression.

Newton was serving an 18-year sentence for attempted murder, having been convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2019 after stabbing a man four times with a knife in Romford, Essex, in 2018. Joynes was serving a sentence for wounding with intent following an attack on a couple in their home in Workington in 2019.

Lancashire Police's Force Major Investigation Team launched an investigation following Joynes's death. Newton was arrested at Garth Prison on 22 July and interviewed at Blackpool Police Station. He told officers that after being locked down for the night, he and Joynes had chatted and played Xbox before he went to the top bunk around 7.45pm.

How it is being reported

• The violent prisoner who murdered his cellmate at nightShaun Newton killed Tony Joynes in the cell they sharedLancsLive · 22 Oct, 18:33
• Prisoner Shaun Newton who murdered cellmate in HMP Garth in Leyland gets life behind barsLancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team launched an investigation, and Newton was arrested at Garth Prison on July 22 and taken for interview at Blackpool Police Station.Blackpool Gazette · 22 Oct, 18:32
• Convict sentenced to life for murdering cellmate at Leyland prisonShaun Newton, 35, was found guilty of murdering Tony Joynes, 47, in their cell at HMP Garth, near Leyland, in July last yearLancashire Post · 22 Oct, 17:09

In this story: Shaun Newton · Tony Joynes · HMP Garth · Leyland · Preston Crown Court · Lancashire Police

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem