ONE of two men who murdered a love rival to death using a red-hot poker and boiling sugar, has been found dead in his cell at Whitemoor Prison, March.

Dean Swift, 46, had been jailed last year with a recommendation he serve at least 28 years in prison. His accomplice, Gary Speight, was jailed for a minimum 30 years.

A Home Office spokesman said tonight: “ Whitemoor prisoner Dean Swift (date of birth March 3, 1967) was found unresponsive in his cell by staff at 1.48am on Monday September 9. Paramedics pronounced him dead at 3.04am.”

The spokesman added: “As with all deaths in custody, the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation.”

Coroner William Morris confirmed he had opened and adjourned an inquest into Swift’s death.

“The cause of death is provisionally given as unascertained,” said a statement from his office.

Judge Charles Byers , in passing sentence on Speight and Swift at the Old Bailey in London, said: “Anyone who listened to the evidence in this case could come to no other conclusion than that this was a brutal and callous murder.

“Committed over a long period during the course of one day, and causing the deceased Anthony Bates to die in what was described by one expert witness as exquisite pain, I’m quite satisfied that you tortured him and that you tortured him for your own sadistic pleasure.”

The pair was convicted of killing Anthony Bates at his flat in Vauxhall, London, in February last year.