THIS is the drug dealer who has been found guilty of brutally torturing and murdering his 'runner' in East Lancashire.

Jurors at Preston Crown Court delivered their verdict on Atif Muhmood, 39, who shoved something so far up Christopher Moore's anus that it perforated his bowel, a short time ago.

Recorder of Preston, Judge Mark Brown, is expected to sentence Muhmood before lunchtime.

Muhmood is also said to have Mr Moore’s teeth and injured his scrotum before carrying out the fatal attack.

Jurors heard how Mr Moore dealt drugs for Muhmood to feed his own habit.

But David McLachlan QC, prosecuting, said there had been complaints from Muhmood’s customers that the bags of heroin he was selling were ‘light’.

Muhmood suspected Mr Moore was dipping into the bags himself and pledged to ‘sort it’, the court heard.

Shortly before his death, several friends and acquaintances observed Mr Moore with black eyes and a trailing gait.

One neighbour called in police after hearing sounds she associated with a man being attacked, at Mr Moore’s Derby Street home, the court heard.

Jurors were told how Mr Moore had been found dead on June 20 last year. Initially it was thought his death may have been drug-related, before a Home Office post-mortem examination revealed the extent of his injuries.

Mr Moore had suffered 58 different external injuries, by the time of his death.

Mr McLachlan added: “This was a case of persistent and sadistic torture, the prosecution says.”

Mr Moore was a former roofer who had ‘fallen on hard times’ after losing his job and had turned to drink and drugs, the court heard.