Ian Huntley Hospitalised in Serious Condition Following Brutal Prison Assault
Notorious child killer Ian Huntley remains in a serious condition in hospital three days after being savagely attacked by a fellow inmate at a maximum security prison. The 52-year-old was brutally bludgeoned with a three-foot metal pole up to fifteen times while bending down to tie string on a recycling crate at HMP Frankland in Durham.
Police Confirm No Change in Huntley's Critical Condition
Durham Constabulary confirmed on Sunday afternoon that there had been no improvement in Huntley's condition overnight. A spokesperson for the force stated: 'The 52-year-old man remains in hospital in a serious condition, there have been no changes overnight.' Huntley is currently on life support and reliant on a ventilator to help him breathe while in a medically induced coma.
Medical professionals are reportedly shocked that Huntley has survived the assault, given the severity of his injuries which include brain damage, a broken jaw, and multiple skull fractures. The attack occurred on Thursday morning when triple killer Anthony Russell allegedly shouted 'I've done it, I've done it' after repeatedly smashing Huntley over the head.
Daughter Expresses Relief at Father's Brutal Beating
Samantha Bryan, Huntley's 27-year-old daughter, revealed she was 'glad' her father had been violently beaten for the murders of ten-year-old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman more than two decades ago. She told The Sun on Sunday that she cried from relief when she discovered her convicted murderer father had been attacked, initially believing it meant he was dead.
'Being his daughter has been a heavy burden,' Ms Bryan confessed. 'It felt like I could breathe again. I think he got what he deserves. I hope he burns in hell. I'd like to shake the hand of the man who did it.' The young woman only discovered Huntley was her father during a school project on crime when she was fourteen, after coming across a blurry picture of her mother with him online.
Details of the Vicious Prison Attack Emerge
A prison source provided chilling details of the assault to the Daily Mail: 'Huntley was working in waste management with other prisoners from Wing A, the segregated wing for prisoners who can't be in the normal jail population for their own protection. The other prisoner got a metal bar from the waste metal crates and smashed Huntley three times in the head with it. It was a very, very serious injury, having been struck on the skull like that.'
Durham Constabulary declined to identify the suspect but confirmed that on the day of the alleged attack, a man in his mid-40s had been detained in the prison though not yet formally arrested. Anthony Russell, 39, was sentenced to a whole-life tariff in 2021 for the murders of Julie Williams, 58, her son David Williams, 32, and pregnant 31-year-old Nicole McGregor, whom he also raped.
History of Attacks on the Notorious Child Killer
Thursday's assault represents the latest in a series of attempts on Huntley's life during his imprisonment. Despite being kept under close observation to prevent such attacks, Huntley has faced multiple violent incidents:
- In 2005, he was scalded with boiling water at HMP Wakefield
- In 2010, robber Damien Fowkes slashed his throat with a home-made weapon at HMP Frankland, causing a seven-inch wound requiring 21 stitches
- Fowkes asked a prison officer: 'Is he dead? I hope so,' describing Huntley as a 'notorious child killer, both inside prison and in society in general'
Huntley was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years behind bars for the brutal murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002. He lured the schoolgirls into his three-bedroom cottage after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets in Soham, Cambridgeshire, then dumped their bodies in a ditch.
Family Reactions and Chilling Correspondence
Huntley's mother, 71-year-old Lynda Richards, confessed that 'part of me hopes he dies' after finding him 'unrecognisable' when she visited him in hospital following the savage attack. A source told The Sun she 'just wants to be free of it,' acknowledging that 'few will mourn his passing' if he dies, but added she is 'still his mother.'
Ms Bryan had written to Huntley multiple times from 2019 onwards after discovering he was her father, asking if they could meet. He replied acknowledging her as his daughter and expressing his love for her, but repeatedly denied her request for a face-to-face meeting. In a chilling handwritten letter reported by The Sun on Sunday in 2024, Huntley told his daughter: 'I doubt there will be enough time for a significant shift in circumstances in order for us to ever meet.'
The 27-year-old had hoped to meet him not to offer forgiveness, but to uncover the truth about the 2002 murders. Huntley had denied killing the schoolgirls, subjecting their families to a gruelling six-week trial at the Old Bailey in November 2003 after attempting to kill himself in prison earlier that same year. He was eventually convicted of both murders despite pleading not guilty.
