Violent Iraqi illegal immigrant who beat a fellow inmate to death in a detention centre

• Zana Yusif killed vulnerable Bangladeshi grandfather Tarek Chowdhury in a cell 
• The defendant, who had only arrived at the centre two days before, stopped taking his medication and ingested Spice before attacking his 'gentle' victim 
• He pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and was jailed 

Zana Yusif, 32, killed vulnerable Bangladeshi grandfather Tarek Chowdhury in a cell at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre

A violent Iraqi illegal immigrant, who beat a fellow inmate to death in a detention centre after taking Spice for the first time, has been jailed for 15 years.

Zana Yusif, 32, killed vulnerable Bangladeshi grandfather Tarek Chowdhury in a cell at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre in London on December 1 last year, after taking the zombie drug. 

The defendant, who had only arrived at the centre two days before, stopped taking his medication and ingested Spice before attacking 'soft, gentle and polite' Mr Chowdhury, 64.

Yusif had gone to his cell wearing no trousers and asked for a light then punched 5ft 2ins tall Mr Chowdhury with severe force up to 12 times when he failed to respond.

The victim, who did not understand much English, died in hospital following the 'vicious' assault at the centre in Harmondsworth, West Drayton, Greater London.

After being charged with murder, Yusif was violent towards inmates and staff while on remand at Wormwood Scrubs.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and was jailed at the Old Bailey to 15 years with a further five years on extended licence.

Judge Richard Marks QC said Spice was a drug which was associated with 'auditory hallucinations' and led to 'aggressive behaviour'.

He told Yusif: 'It is clearly the case your ingestion of Spice the day before these events must have played a significant part in your actions in carrying out this killing.

'Even if it was the first time you have taken Spice it was in my judgment a gravely irresponsible thing for you to have done.'

The judge said it was a 'vicious and sustained attack' on a defenceless man, adding: 'I have absolutely no doubt at the conclusion of this sentence the defendant should be deported.'

The court heard how the victim had come to Britain around 2003 because of his political beliefs and had been separated from his wife and two daughters.

When authorities found him working illegally in a fish and chip shop in the West Midlands, where he has extended family, he was told to leave the country.

His sister-in-law, Forida Habib, who had attended court hearings, said the family had been caught in a 'vice of horror and pain'.

Before his 'brutal and avoidable' death, his family in Bangladesh had been looking forward to being reunited with him, but when he was returned in a coffin, he was 'unrecognisable'.

She said: 'He was a quiet man and we never thought anything like this would happen to him as he would never hurt anyone.'

'The fact his death was so brutal and avoidable has made his death harder to deal with.'

Since finding more about Yusif's mental and criminal history, they were 'struggling' to come to terms with the fact he died 'somewhere where he was supposed to be safe', she said.

The court heard how Yusif had been smuggled into the country in the back of a lorry at the age of 17 to avoid being conscripted into the Iraqi army.

He lived in London mainly on state benefits or working at a supermarket and racked up convictions for 33 offences of dishonesty, violence and harassment.

He had mental health problems and smoked skunk cannabis which made his condition worse, the court heard.

Prosecutor Jake Hallam QC said he failed to tell the Home Office about his convictions and was issued with a deportation notice in 2014.

He was held at Colnbrook as his disruptive behaviour repeatedly thwarted efforts to deport him on flights.

Other inhabitants of the facility run by Premier Detention Services were wary of the defendant and had nicknamed him 'bad man', the court heard.  

Detective Inspector James Stevenson, of Scotland Yard, said: 'Mr Chowdhury was viciously set upon by another detainee, and the ferocity of the attack ultimately led to his death.

'Yusif admitted to his role in the attack and has today been jailed and cannot pose a danger to others.'