Ian Huntley, the convicted murderer of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, sent a final letter to a female pen pal just eight days before he was fatally attacked in prison. The 52-year-old, who was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2002 murders, wrote the letter on February 18, hinting at difficulties behind bars.
In the letter, Huntley told the woman, who had been writing to him since October last year, that he had “a lot to deal with lately” and that he had decided to discard everything she had sent and not proceed with clearing her for calls and visits. He wrote: “You’re a lovely person and I don’t want you placed in harm’s way due to your affiliation with me.”
Huntley was attacked at HMP Frankland on February 25 by a fellow inmate allegedly using a metal pole. He suffered skull fractures, brain damage, and a broken jaw, and was placed in a medically induced coma. His mother, Lynda Richards, reportedly could not recognise him after the attack.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed Huntley died on March 7 after his mother agreed to withdraw life support. This was not the first time Huntley had been targeted in prison; he had previously been scalded with boiling water in 2005 and suffered a slash wound to the throat in 2010.
