SENTENCING Clement McNally to life imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court Mr Justice Davis called for a "top level" inquiry into why Mr Hesketh, who was serving a short sentence for driving offences, was housed in a cell at Stangeways jail with a murderer.

He said: "This is the kind of case which, in my view, requires close investigation into the circumstances in which the decision was made."

The judge told McNally: "The decision to allow you to share your cell with Mr Hesketh has been disastrous in its consequences.

"It may be that at the time the prison authorities did not know then what we all know now.

"But I have to say I regard this particular act of homicide as extremely callous and extremely ruthless.

"It seems to me your make up is such that you might have derived a degree of pleasure from it.

"It was a very grave offence indeed and all the medical and psychological evidence I have read indicates you are an extremely dangerous man who poses a great risk to the public."

The Prison Ombudsman has launched an enquiry into the circumstances around the killing and has put forward several recommendations in a bid to improve the jail system, including assessing prisoners who pose a risk to cell mates.

A spokeswoman for the prison service said they could not comment about the case until a coroner has taken a decision whether to hold an inquest into Mr Hesketh's death.