A teenage petty criminal became a vicious killer just months into a sentence at a prison that has been seen as the most woke in the UK.
Ashirie Smith, 19, murdered Mahir Abdulrahman, 31, by brutally stamping on his head and neck inside his cell at HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire on August 20 last year.
He has now been given a new jail term of life with a minimum of 17 and a half years – having previously been held for four months ahead of the attack, convicted for possessing a gun.
The category C prison has been mocked by critics for resembling student halls, with inmates also given their own personal computers that double up as TVs.
State-of-the-art facilities include a music classroom where record company representatives can help offenders train in music production for industry qualifications, a new library and an artificial turf sports pitch.
Footage from inside the ‘Scandinavian-style’ jail, housing 1,715 inmates, revealed a ping pong table for inmates to enjoy as well as workshops available – while cells have bar-less windows.
Among its offerings is a construction vehicle simulator – an exercise not too far removed from playing video games.
The conditions previously sparked outrage on social media, with one writing: ‘Lovely hotel, be nice for a weekend away.’
Ashirie Smith (right), 19, and Thierry Robinson (left), 21, are seen walking down the corridor before entering the cell belonging to Mahir Abdulrahman, 31
Smith (left) was found guilty of murder and was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 17 and a half years. Robinson (right) was found not guilty of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment
Ashirie Smith, then 17, was captured on mobile phone footage showing off with a gun at home
The murder was carried out at HMP Fosse Way (pictured) in Leicester in August last year
HNP Fosse was officially opened in June 2023, with a visit by the then-Conservative govenment’s justice secretary Alex Chalk.
The jail is operated by private contractors Serco, who have issued a statement following the sentencing of Smith for the fatal attack on Abdulrahman, who was serving a 35-week sentence for a sexual offence.
Serco prison director Wyn Jones said: ‘Any death in prison is a tragedy but the murder of Mr Abdulrahman was a heinous act.
‘My thoughts remain with his family and those affected by his untimely death.
‘Since the tragedy, our focus has been to bring those responsible to justice by working with the police to secure a conviction. I hope the verdicts will bring closure for his family.’
Smith was caught on CCTV leaving his cell with a smirk on his face before battering to death Abdulrahman who was found unresponsive by a female prison officer inside his cell with horrific injuries and suffering a cardiac arrest on August 20 last year.
Abdulrahman died at the scene about an hour later, with a post mortem later revealing he died from a sub arachnoid basal haemorrhage – bleeding to an area of the brain.
A court heard Abdulrahman was subjected to taunts by Smith and another inmate, Thierry Robinson, 21, which ended up with him throwing a hot kettle at them.
Inmates at HMP Fosse Way in Leicester can access computers that can double up as TVs in their ‘luxury’ cells
A construction vehicle simulator – an exercise not too far removed from playing video games – is among the facilities available
The then-Conservative government’s Justice Secretary Alex Chalk attended the official opening of the prison in Leicester in June 2023
Cells have ultra-secure, bar-less windows to help to put an end to the smuggling of illegal drugs, phones and weapons into jails
Social media users have compared conditions at HMP Fosse to student accommodation
The next day Smith launched the fatal attack after a prison officer unlocked his cell door before continuing their rounds that morning.
CCTV shows Robinson smirking in the corridor outside Smith’s cell before emerging topless and entering Abdulrahman’s cell.
Smith and Robinson emerge and calmly walk away from the cell just 37 seconds later, leaving Abdulrahman to die.
Smith was then seen to re-enter the cell and exit again shortly after having carried out the vicious assault.
Police and ambulance crews were called and found Abdulrahman in cardiac arrest at 7.45am but he could not be saved and died an hour later.
Smith was found guilty of murder at Leicester Crown Court and was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 17 and a half years behind bars.
Robinson was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment.
A third defendant, 38-year-old Shaan Karim, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.
Smith is pictured here being arrested at his home in Birmingham in November 2023
The teenager, then 17, span around and pointed the gun in the incriminating videos
The Walther pistol loaded with five 9mm bullets found at Smith’s house pictured after police took it
Ahead of his initial term at HMP Fosse Way, Smith had filmed incriminating videos of himself wearing a balaclava and waving a gun while dancing around.
Police raided the home of Smith, then aged 17, in Birmingham in November 2023 and found a loaded pistol, as well as the damning clips on his mobile phone.
Officers had received intelligence ahead of the raid that he was keeping a firearm at his house.
Dramatic bodycam footage showed armed officers slowly approach Smith’s home at 3.25am before smashing the window of the property’s front door.
Loud screaming was then heard as police shouted: ‘Armed police, come to the front of your house with nothing in your hand.’
During the raid, officers found a Walther pistol loaded with five 9mm bullets underneath a mattress and arrested the teenager.
Police then found the incriminating videos which see Smith wearing a balaclava and a baseball cap and waving the weapon around while pointing it at the camera.
In another clip, the teenager is dancing and spinning around in circles as he holds the pistol.
Smith is pictured here in an incriminating video unloading bullets from the pistol he possessed
Armed officers pictured during the raid which involved police smash the window on Smith’s front door
Another clip saw the teenager point the gun at the camera
He is also seen emptying bullets from the gun towards the camera and brandishing the weapon and ammunition on a mattress.
After his arrest, Smith admitted to possession of a firearm and ammunition and was jailed for three years at Birmingham Crown Court in April last year – just four months before he killed Abdulrahman.
Smith’s fellow defendant Robinson can be seen performing in ‘drill’ rap videos shared online, performing under the name ‘Trills’.
He was previously the subject of a missing persons appeal issued by Warwickshire Police in April 2019, when aged 15.
Speaking after yesterday’s verdicts, Det Insp Mark Parish, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: ‘The injuries suffered by Mahir Abdulrahman showed a serious, sustained attack had taken place which ultimately led to his death.
‘Thanks to the hard work of the investigation team, Smith and Robinson have been convicted in court and will now have to face responsibility for their actions.’
