Sadistic Leeds murderer Mohammed Fike Butt loses appeal to have his 28-year sentence reduced for driving over man as he lay injured on pavement

Mohammed Fike Butt will remain locked up for at least 28 years after Court of Appeal judges rejected claims that the minimum sentence was too long.

Butt, 33, was handed a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court in April last year for murdering Jason Llanwarne and injuring two men by driving at them in his car in Headingley.

Butt mounted the pavement and drove at the men three times during the sickening attack on North Lane, on September 14, 2020.

The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Jacobs described the killing as "an act of savagery which showed no mercy."

Butt pleaded guilty to murdering 32-year-old Mr Llanwarne and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Dean Ward and Scott Chalders part way through his trialButt's lawyers took the case to the Court of Appeal on Wednesday (January 26), where they argued that the minimum term imposed for the offences was too severe.

The appeal was rejected by three judges, who agreed with Mr Justice Jacobs' description of the murder as "brutal".

They also described CCTV footage of the killing as "sickening".

Butt appeared at the hearing via a video link from custody.

Mr Llanwarne's father also attended the appeal hearing.

The jury at Butt's trial heard how he drove over Mr Llanwarne's body after deliberately knocking him down.

Butt then went to a takeaway and ordered himself a portion of cheesy chips moments after causing the fatal injuries.

The court heard Butt carried out the attack to teach the three men "a lesson" during a dispute over drugs.

Harrowing CCTV footage of the attack, in which Butt used his car "as a weapon", was played in court.

Butt first drove his car at Mr Chalders and Mr Ward, causing injuries to Mr Chalder's leg.

The defendant's Mazda then re-joined the carriageway before turning around, mounting the pavement again and driving at all three men.

Mr Llanwarne was struck and carried on the bonnet before falling to the floor.

Butt turned the vehicle around and drove at the men a third time despite his windscreen being smashed.

A wheel was deliberately driven over Mr Llanwarne while his friends were trying to pull his body out of the way.

Butt, of Cross Flatts Avenue, Beeston, abandoned his car behind a nearby takeaway and called a taxi.

At the sentencing hearing last year, prosecutor Stephen Wood QC said: "There is evidence that that murder involved sadistic conduct.

"In summary, this behaviour by the defendant amounts to nothing short of gratuitous serious violence for the sake of it.

"There is compelling evidence of the defendant laughing at the time.

"He was seemingly taking some sort of perverted sense of pleasure in what he was doing."

After the case, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Nicholson said: “Butt used his car as a deadly weapon to attack Jason Llanwarne and his friends with murderous consequences.

“The evidence shows this was clearly not some momentary loss of temper but a repeated and determined effort to inflict the maximum amount of harm from behind the wheel of his car.

“This appalling display of violence took place in a busy street and was witnessed by a number of people who were sickened by what they saw.

“Butt fled the scene and desperately tried to cover his tracks, but he was quickly caught and brought to justice as a result of a comprehensive investigation by detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

"He has shown a complete lack of compassion or remorse and has unnecessarily put Jason’s family through the ordeal of a trial, only pleading guilty part way through when it was clear the weight of evidence was overwhelming and then drawing the process out even further.

“Jason’s family have been left utterly devastated by his completely unnecessary death, and we hope it will provide some degree of comfort to them to know that the person responsible has now had to answer for his actions”.

Arfaq Nabi, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was a brutal and shockingly callous act.

"In a calculated act of violence, and using his vehicle as a weapon, Butt deliberately targeted all three men, and far from showing remorse, or summoning help, Butt instead fled the scene and bought himself food at a local takeaway.

“He is now serving a life sentence. Our thoughts remain with Jason’s family and friends, as well as the two other victims of this truly appalling crime”.