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Man Serving Life for Torture Murder of Jonathan Herd Dies in Prison
Michael Pickering, 39, was found dead at HMP Long Lartin on August 7. He was serving a life sentence for the 2017 murder of Jonathan Herd. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an investigation.
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Prison Death of Convicted Murderer Michael Pickering
Michael Pickering, 39, from Oldham, was found dead at HMP Long Lartin, a category A men's prison in Worcestershire, on August 7. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has launched an investigation into his death and has published brief details on its website, noting that the investigation is 'in progress.'
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "HMP Long Lartin prisoner Michael Pickering died on 7th August 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."
The 2017 Murder and Conviction
Pickering was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 36 years, handed down in 2018, for the murder of Jonathan Herd. The judge at Manchester Crown Court, Richard Mansell QC, said Pickering had intended to rob Mr Herd, 45, of anything of value during the attack on July 30, 2017, after his drugs had run out.
On the night of the attack, Pickering repeatedly stabbed and punched Mr Herd at his flat on Lee New Road before jumping up and down on his body as he lay helpless, causing his lungs to collapse. Mr Herd sustained 115 separate injuries. His body was discovered by his parents the following morning.
After the murder, Pickering took a taxi to Oldham carrying three carrier bags filled with items stolen from the flat, including a mobile phone, an Xbox, a television, some DVDs, £40 in cash, a coat and Mr Herd's gold chain, which had been ripped from his neck. He attempted to sell the items at a branch of Cash Generators but was turned away. It is believed he disposed of them through a private sale.
The court heard that Mr Herd had turned to alcohol to cope with the death of his former partner almost two decades earlier. He had been making progress in overcoming his drinking problem, and the court was told his family held 'genuine hope' for his recovery.
During sentencing, Judge Mansell told Pickering: "Jonathan's life was extinguished by you in the most callous, cowardly and brutal way imaginable." The judge also stated: "I am satisfied you gain a degree of enjoyment or excitement from subjecting someone to extremes of violence and torture." He noted that the sheer number of wounds, their location, and the duration over which they were inflicted bore all the hallmarks of torture.
Background and Previous Convictions
At the time of the murder, Pickering had been released from prison just two months earlier, having completed an eight-year sentence for robbery, blackmail and inflicting actual bodily harm. Those charges stemmed from an incident in which Pickering broke into a man's home and held him hostage for several hours, pressing a knife to the victim's throat while an accomplice threatened to sever the man's fingers and eat them.
Following his release in May 2017, Pickering resumed contact with former associates and continued his pattern of alcohol and drug misuse. He was introduced to Mr Herd through a mutual acquaintance who lived near Mr Herd's home. The court was told that Mr Herd had welcomed Pickering into his flat after he asked to charge his phone. Pickering, who had consumed 'copious' amounts of alcohol and taken crack cocaine, had brought an eight-inch blade with him, which he used to carry out the attack. Pickering maintained he had no memory of the attack, claiming he had been drunk and under the influence of class A drugs.
Reactions and Statements
In a victim impact statement read by prosecutor Rob Hall, Mr Herd's mother, Pauline, said: "There are no words that will ever describe the pain. Jonathan was a kind, generous and loving son who loved his family and was dearly loved in return. He saw the good in people, and if he could help them, he would. He was looking forward to the future and his health was improving. He had started to get out, he was regaining his confidence and had made new friends."
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Wilkinson from GMP's Major Incident Team commented: "This was an horrific attack on an innocent man whose life was taken away from him for the sake of an XBox and a few DVDs. Jonathan's family came to visit him the following day and walked in to find their loved one lay dead on the floor after being brutally murdered. No one should ever have to see that. Sadly there is nothing we can do to bring Jonathan back, but I hope the result goes some way to helping his loved ones grieve and come to terms with their loss. Justice has been served today and Pickering is exactly where he deserves to be – behind bars where he will have plenty of time to think about what he did."
How each outlet told it
A framing line is our reading of that outlet's own text — an interpretation, not a quotation and not a fact we assert. Check it against what the outlet published.
Framing: Emphasizes the killer's death in prison, highlighting his sadistic nature and enjoyment of violence — somber and condemnatory
Facts Included:
Michael Pickering, from Oldham, was found dead at HMP Long Lartin, a category A men's prison in Worcestershire, on August 7
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has launched an inquiry into his death
He was serving time for the savage murder of a recovering alcoholic in his own residence before attempting to flog his possessions
In 2018, Pickering received a life term with a minimum tariff of 36 years imprisonment following his conviction for torturing and slaying Jonathan Herd
A judge determined that Pickering had sought to rob Mr Herd, 45, of any valuables during the assault on July 30, 2017 after his drug supply ran dry
He subjected Mr Herd to repeated stabbings and beatings at his Lee New Road residence before trampling on his helpless body, resulting in collapsed lungs
Mr Herd sustained 115 distinct injuries
His parents made the grim discovery the following morning
Following the killing, Pickering hailed a taxi to Oldham carrying three carrier bags filled with plundered items from the property, including a mobile phone, an Xbox, a television, some DVDs, £40 in notes, a jacket and Mr Herd's gold chain, which had been torn from his neck
Pickering attempted to offload the belongings at a Cash Generators outlet, but was turned away
It's believed he disposed of them through private sale
The jury heard that almost 20 years earlier, Mr Herd's ex-partner had passed away, leading him to seek solace in alcohol to cope with his bereavement
He had been making progress in overcoming his drinking problem, and Manchester Crown Court was told his relatives held 'genuine hope' for his recovery
The PPO has now published limited information regarding Pickering's death on its website, noting an investigation is 'in progress'
A Prison Service spokesman said: 'HMP Long Lartin prisoner Michael Pickering died on 7th August 2026'
As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate
During Pickering's 2018 sentencing, Judge Richard Mansell QC said: 'Jonathan's life was extinguished by you in the most callous, cowardly and brutal way imaginable'
The court was informed that Pickering had been released from jail merely two months before murdering Mr Herd, having completed an eight-year sentence for robbery, blackmail and inflicting actual bodily harm
These convictions stemmed from a horrific episode where Pickering invaded a man's residence before detaining him for several hours
The victim endured a blade pressed against his neck while Pickering's associate menaced to sever the man's fingers and consume them
Pickering professed to have no memory of the assault, attributing it to intoxication and class A drug use
The judge remarked: 'I am satisfied you [Pickering] gain a degree of enjoyment or excitement from subjecting someone to extremes of violence and torture'
Following his discharge in May 2017, Pickering reconnected with former associates and persisted with alcohol and drug misuse
He encountered Mr Herd via a shared acquaintance, residing in a flat close to Mr Herd's residence
The court was informed that Mr Herd welcomed Pickering inside after he requested to charge his mobile
Pickering, having consumed 'copious' quantities of alcohol and taken crack cocaine, had seized an eight-inch knife from his mate's property, which he employed to inflict the 'sickening and merciless violence' within Mr Herd's flat
Judge Mansell stated the sheer volume of injuries, their positioning and the duration over which they were administered demonstrated characteristics of torture
In a victim impact statement delivered by prosecutor Rob Hall, Mr Herd's mother Pauline expressed: 'There are no words that will ever describe the pain'
Jonathan was a kind, generous and loving son who loved his family and was dearly loved in return
He saw the good in people, and if he could help them, he would
He was looking forward to the future and his health was improving
He had started to get out, he was regaining his confidence and had made new friends
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Wilkinson from GMP's Major Incident Team commented: 'This was an horrific attack on an innocent man whose life was taken away from him for the sake of an XBox anda few DVDs'
Jonathan's family came to visit him the following dayand walked in to find their loved one lay dead on the floor after being brutally murdered
No one should ever have to see that
Sadly there is nothing we can do to bring Jonathan back, but I hope the result goes some way to helping his loved ones grieve and come to terms with their loss
Justice has been served today and Pickering is exactly where he deserves to be – behind bars where he will have plenty of time to think about what he did
Framing: The headline emphasizes the killer's death in prison and his sadistic nature, framing it as a notable event. — somber and condemnatory
Facts Included:
Michael Pickering, from Oldham, was found dead at HMP Long Lartin, a category A men's prison in Worcestershire, on August 7, 2026.
He had a history of drug abuse.
He was 39.
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has launched an investigation into the death.
He was serving time for the brutal murder of a recovering alcoholic in his own home before attempting to sell his possessions.
In 2018 Pickering was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 36 years after being convicted of torturing and killing Jonathan Herd at his flat in Oldham.
A judge said Pickering intended to rob Mr Herd, 45, of anything of value during the attack on July 30, 2017 after his drugs had run out.
He repeatedly stabbed and punched Mr Herd at his flat on Lee New Road before jumping up and down on his body as he lay helpless, causing his lungs to collapse.
Mr Herd sustained 115 separate injuries.
His body was discovered by his parents the following morning.
After murdering Mr Herd, Pickering took a taxi to Oldham carrying three shopping bags filled with items stolen from the flat, including a mobile phone, an Xbox, a TV, some DVDs, £40 in cash, a coat and Mr Herd's gold chain, which had been ripped from his neck.
Pickering, of Coverham Avenue, Oldham, attempted to sell the items at a branch of Cash Generators, but was turned away.
It is believed he disposed of them through a private sale.
Jurors heard that almost two decades earlier Mr Herd's former partner had passed away, and that he had turned to alcohol as a means of coping with his grief.
He had been making progress in his struggle with alcohol, and Manchester Crown Court was told his family held 'genuine hope' he would return to his former self.
The PPO has now published brief details of Pickering's death on its website and confirmed an investigation is 'in progress'.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "HMP Long Lartin prisoner Michael Pickering died on 7th August 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."
During Pickering's 2018 sentencing hearing, Judge Richard Mansell QC said: "Jonathan's life was extinguished by you in the most callous, cowardly and brutal way imaginable."
The court was told Pickering had been released from prison just two months before he killed Mr Herd, having completed an eight-year sentence for robbery, blackmail and inflicting actual bodily harm.
Those charges stemmed from a horrific incident in which Pickering broke into a man's home before holding him hostage for several hours.
The man had a knife pressed to his throat and Pickering's accomplice threatened to sever the victim's fingers and eat them, the court heard.
Pickering maintained he had no memory of the attack, claiming he had been drunk and under the influence of class A drugs.
The judge said: "I am satisfied you [Pickering] gain a degree of enjoyment or excitement from subjecting someone to extremes of violence and torture."
Following his release in May 2017, Pickering resumed contact with former associates and continued his pattern of alcohol and drug misuse.
He was introduced to Mr Herd through a mutual acquaintance who resided in a flat close to Mr Herd's home.
The court was told that Mr Herd had welcomed Pickering into his flat after he requested to charge his phone.
Pickering, who had consumed 'copious' amounts of alcohol and taken crack cocaine, had brought an eight-inch blade from his friend's property, which he used to carry out out the 'sickening and merciless violence' inside Mr Herd's flat.
Judge Mansell stated that the sheer number of wounds, their location, and the duration over which they were inflicted bore all the hallmarks of torture.
In a victim impact statement read by prosecutor Rob Hall, Mr Herd's mother Pauline said: "There are no words that will ever describe the pain. Jonathan was a kind, generous and loving son who loved his family and was dearly loved in return. He saw the good in people, and if he could help them, he would. He was looking forward to the future and his health was improving. He had started to get out, he was regaining his confidence and had made new friends."
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Wilkinson from GMP's Major Incident Team said: "This was an horrific attack on an innocent man whose life was taken away from him for the sake of an XBox and a few DVDs. Jonathan's family came to visit him the following day and walked in to find their loved one lay dead on the floor after being brutally murdered. No one should ever have to see that. Sadly there is nothing we can do to bring Jonathan back, but I hope the result goes some way to helping his loved ones grieve and come to terms with their loss. Justice has been served today and Pickering is exactly where he deserves to be – behind bars where he will have plenty of time to think about what he did."
AI-extracted; can misattribute a claim — see Methodology.
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status is Contested when two claims on this page negate each other; otherwise it counts the distinct outlets we found asserting that specific claim — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimMichael Pickering, from Oldham, was found dead at HMP Long Lartin, a category A men's prison in Worcestershire, on August 7, 2026.
ClaimMichael Pickering repeatedly stabbed and punched Jonathan Herd at his flat on Lee New Road before jumping up and down on his body, causing his lungs to collapse.
ClaimAfter murdering Jonathan Herd, Michael Pickering took a taxi to Oldham carrying three carrier bags filled with items stolen from the property, including a mobile phone, an Xbox, a television, some DVDs, £40 in cash, a coat and Jonathan Herd's gold chain, which had been ripped from his neck.
ClaimJonathan Herd had been making progress in overcoming his drinking problem, and Manchester Crown Court was told his family held 'genuine hope' for his recovery.
ClaimThe Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has published brief details of Michael Pickering's death on its website and confirmed an investigation is 'in progress'.
ClaimDuring Michael Pickering's 2018 sentencing, Judge Richard Mansell QC said: 'Jonathan's life was extinguished by you in the most callous, cowardly and brutal way imaginable'.
ClaimMichael Pickering had been released from prison just two months before murdering Jonathan Herd, having completed an eight-year sentence for robbery, blackmail and inflicting actual bodily harm.
ClaimThe convictions for robbery, blackmail and inflicting actual bodily harm stemmed from an incident in which Michael Pickering broke into a man's home and held him hostage for several hours.
ClaimIn that incident, the victim had a knife pressed to his throat and Michael Pickering's accomplice threatened to sever the man's fingers and eat them.
ClaimJudge Richard Mansell said: "I am satisfied you [Michael Pickering] gain a degree of enjoyment or excitement from subjecting someone to extremes of violence and torture."
ClaimFollowing his release in May ́20 ́λ, Michael Pickering resumed contact with former associates and continued his pattern of alcohol and drug misuse.
ClaimMichael Pickering had consumed 'copious' amounts of alcohol and taken crack cocaine, and had brought an eight-inch blade from his friend's property, which he used to carry out the 'sickening and merciless violence' inside Jonathan Herd's flat.
ClaimJudge Richard Mansell stated that the sheer number of wounds, their location, and the duration over which they were inflicted bore all the hallmarks of torture.
ClaimIn a victim impact statement read by prosecutor Rob Hall, Jonathan Herd's mother Pauline said: "There are no words that will ever describe the pain. Jonathan was a kind, generous and loving son who loved his family and was dearly loved in return. He saw the good in people, and if he could help them, he would. He was looking forward to the future and his health was improving. He had started to get out, he was regaining his confidence and had made new friends."
ClaimDetective Chief Inspector Stuart Wilkinson from GMP's Major Incident Team said: "This was an horrific attack on an innocent man whose life was taken away from him for the sake of an XBox anda few DVDs. Jonathan's family came to visit him the following dayand walked in to find their loved one lay dead on the floor after being brutally murdered. No one should ever have to see that. Sadly there is nothing we can do to bring Jonathan back, but I hope the result goes some way to helping his loved ones grieve and come to terms with their loss. Justice has been served today and Pickering is exactly where he deserves to be – behind bars where he will have plenty of time to think about what he did."