Murderers found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of killing frail 61-year-old man who was tied up, gagged and tortured in his home in Batley

A jury at Leeds Crown Court found Alexander Mackay, 46, and Craig Stanton, 42, guilty over the brutal killing of Saleem Butt after a four-week trial.

Mr Butt's battered body was found face down in the hallway of his home in Batley.

His hands had been tied behind his back with rope which ran from his wrists, up his back, over his shoulder and around his neck.

Jurors were told the motive for the attack was for financial gain and it was likely that Mr Butt had been tortured in order to obtain bank card pin numbers from him.

The court heard the killing is likely to have taken place in the early hours of April 23 this year at Mr Butt's home on Hyrstlands Road

Mr Moulson said: "He lived there alone - various frailties rendered him in overarching terms to be described as vulnerable."

"Mr Butt was subjected to a violent assault.

"He had sites of multiple blunt force trauma to his head, suggesting a weapon or weapons had been used by his assailants.

"There was evidence suggestive of strangulation, and gagging of his mouth."

Mr Mouslon continued: "We contend that Stanton and Mackay gained unlawful entry to Mr Butt's home address.

"Firstly we submit the primary purpose was to commit burglary or robbery - at some point Mr Butt was tied up and perhaps tortured - the defendants had free rein to search Mr Butt and his property for items of value.

"They may have killed him and left the scene but returned to try to cover their tracks by attempting to clean blood from the scene.

"The accused are observed on CCTV to dispose of items at some point during their activities that night.

"We submit that at one or both of those visits Mr Butt was to some extent tortured, strangled, gagged and ultimately killed."

One of the men may have climbed through an open window in order to get into the property as glove marks were found on a kitchen window.

The victim's body was found at 8pm later the same day and he was pronounced dead by paramedics.

Phone evidence suggested that the fatal attack took place in the early hours of the morning.

A neighbour stated that Mr Butt usually played loud music in the mornings but it was not heard on the day of his death.

Mr Butt was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. The pockets in the shorts had been turned inside out, indicating a search for cash or bank cards had been carried out.

"Hence our observation that the motive was gain, perhaps it is fair inference that Mr Butt was restrained and tortured before his death so that he might provide information as to the whereabouts of valuables or pins to his bank cards.

"In addition of course, if it becomes apparent to those who have entered an occupied dwelling house in the dead of night to burgle or rob, that the householder can identify you - then options to get away with offending in that way are reduced - but one course was to render Mr Butt permanently silent.."

A post mortem revealed Mr Butt had suffered multiple blunt force impacts to the head and deep facial bruising.

Pressure had also been applied to his neck from a nylon rope which had been wrapped around his neck and knotted in such a way to also bind his wrists.

The jury heard the rope had been used by Mr Butt to tie up plants and had been taken from the garden.

Forensic evidence indicated that attempts had been made to clean blood from the scene.

Fabric marks as the scene also indicated Stanton and Mackay had been wearing gloves.

Stanton's home was searched on April 30 and a pair of shorts were recovered which contained Mr Butt's DNA.

Telephone and CCTV evidence also linked the defendants to the murder.

Two days after the killing, Mackay sent Stanton a text message which read: "No comment all the way mate."

Both men refused to comment when arrested and interviewed by police.

Mr Moulson said: "They were together before, during and after the assault on Mr Butt.

"They acted as a team throughout, offering support and assistance to each other in the course of their activities that night."

Stanton, of Harold Wilson Court, Huddersfield, and Mackay, of School Crescent, Dewsbury Moor, will be sentenced next month.