A leading barrister has questioned why public money should be spent on trying to claw back drugs money from a man with no assets who is serving a life sentence for murder.

Rashpal Singh Gill, 40, of Leeds Road, Bradford, was jailed for a minimum term of 11 years and 358 days at Bradford Crown Court on February 25.

He was convicted by a jury of the brutal murder of Paul Ackroyd, 37, who was attacked at a flat in Jinnah Court, in the Manningham area of Bradford, on February 23, during 2019.

Gill’s co-accused, Alex Bates, 19, of Eastfield Gardens, Holme Wood, Bradford, was detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure for a minimum term of 14 years and 358 days.

Mohammed Jawaid Khan, 53, of Leylands Lane, Heaton, Bradford, was cleared of murder but convicted of assisting an offender.

He was imprisoned for four years for that offence and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Bates and Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and Gill admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

This week, Gill and Bates appeared before the court on video links from custody for a hearing listed under the Proceeds of Crime Act because of the drug trafficking offences.

Balbir Singh, Gill’s barrister, queried if such a hearing would achieve anything.

“He received no benefit and he has no assets and he’s serving a life sentence,” he pointed out.

“Is there any benefit at all on spending money on a hearing?”

Mr Singh said Gill was living in rented accommodation before he was jailed. He had nothing for the state to seize back.

Stephen Grattage, Bates’ barrister, said he would have very similar representations to make.

Judge Jonathan Rose adjourned the hearing until next Thursday.

He urged Holly Clegg, barrister for the Crown, to review the matter before then.

During the trial, the jury heard that Mr Ackroyd, known as Acky, had gone to the address at Jinnah Court to buy crack cocaine when he was attacked.

He sustained multiple blunt force impacts to the head.

The injuries included a fracture of the left temporal bone.

Prosecutor Peter Moulson QC said that an estimated £200,000 worth of Class A drugs were sold from the flat in the six months before Mr Ackroyd was murdered.

A hammer was found behind a curtain at the address and wheel braces, a chisel and a skewer were also seized from there by the police, the court heard.