Ian Huntley Dies Following Vicious Prison Assault
Notorious child killer Ian Huntley has died in hospital after sustaining catastrophic injuries during a brutal attack at HMP Frankland in County Durham. The Ministry of Justice confirmed his death this morning after life support was withdrawn on Friday.
Details of the Fatal Attack
Huntley, 52, was reportedly attacked in the prison workshop on the morning of Thursday, February 26. A fellow inmate allegedly struck him up to 15 times with a spiked metal pole while shouting "I've done it, I've done it! I've killed him, I've killed him!" as other prisoners looked on.
Medical staff at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary battled to save Huntley, but he showed little improvement. The assault left him with severe skull damage, a broken jaw, and reportedly blind. His mother, Lynda Richards, 71, was at his bedside when the ventilator was switched off.
Background of the Soham Murders
Huntley was convicted in 2003 for the murders of 10-year-old friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in the Cambridgeshire village of Soham. The former school caretaker lured the girls into his home in August 2002 after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets.
During his trial, Huntley claimed Holly had suffered a nosebleed and drowned in a bath after hitting her head, while he said he covered Jessica's mouth until she stopped screaming. He later dumped their bodies in a ditch ten miles away. His then-girlfriend, Maxine Carr, served 21 months for perverting justice by providing a false alibi.
Family Reactions and Prison History
Huntley's daughter, Samantha Bryan, 27, stated there was a "special place in hell waiting for him" and added, "I think he got what he deserves. I hope he burns in hell." His mother told friends he was "unrecognisable" after the attack and admitted, "part of me hopes he passes away this time."
This was not Huntley's first violent encounter in prison. In 2010, armed robber Damien Fowkes slashed his throat at Frankland, and in 2005, killer Mark Hobson threw boiling water over him at Wakefield Prison. A former prison officer at Frankland commented, "Everyone at Frankland will be celebrating his death. No-one will shed any tears."
The Alleged Attacker and Investigation
The attacker is understood to be Anthony Russell, 43, a triple killer and rapist serving a whole-life tariff for murders committed in 2021. Durham Constabulary confirmed a police investigation is ongoing, with a file being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Huntley had been held at HMP Frankland since 2008. The Category A facility, nicknamed "Monster Mansion," houses other high-profile inmates including Wayne Couzens, Levi Bellfield, and Michael Adebolajo.
