Ian Huntley's Body Lies Unclaimed in Hospital Weeks After Prison Attack
The body of convicted child murderer Ian Huntley has remained in a hospital mortuary for nearly three weeks following his death in prison, with authorities confirming no funeral service will be held for the notorious killer.
Brutal Prison Attack Leads to Death
Huntley, 52, died on March 7 after life support was withdrawn following a savage beating by a fellow inmate at HMP Frankland in County Durham. The attack occurred on February 26 when triple killer and rapist Anthony Russell, 43, allegedly assaulted Huntley with a metal pole in the prison's recycling workshop.
The brutal assault left Huntley with catastrophic injuries that rendered him "unrecognisable" according to sources. Medical staff gave him just a five percent chance of survival following multiple surgeries. After he slipped into a vegetative state, doctors withdrew medical intervention with his mother present during his final moments.
No Funeral Service Planned
Huntley's body has been lying at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle for 18 days since his death. A source close to the family told The Sun newspaper: "There will be no service, no memorial, no mourners, nothing. It is as it should be."
The family declined a Ministry of Justice scheme that would have provided up to £3,000 of taxpayer money toward funeral and memorial costs for inmates who die in custody. The source explained: "They have always been utterly appalled by what he did. It was unforgivable and, for those reasons, they could not in good conscience hold a funeral."
Ashes to be Scattered Secretly
Instead of a traditional funeral, Huntley will be cremated and his ashes handed to family members. The source revealed the ashes would be scattered at a secret location due to fears of reprisals. Huntley's own daughter reportedly told The Sun on Sunday that his ashes should be "flushed down the toilet."
Justice Minister Sarah Sackman commented: "This man, Ian Huntley, doesn't deserve anything more than the absolute bare minimum. We're not spending £3,000. That's the maximum in our policy that it affords. What I'm only sorry about is that he's no longer alive, rotting in prison, thinking about what he did to those two little girls."
Legal Proceedings Continue
Anthony Russell has been charged with Huntley's murder and appeared via video link at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court earlier this month. An inquest will open on April 14 to establish the circumstances of Huntley's death before being adjourned to allow for cremation after forensic testing.
A full inquest will be conducted once criminal proceedings against Russell are completed. The Ministry of Justice has launched an internal investigation into how Huntley was targeted and killed within the prison system.
Notorious Crimes Remembered
Huntley was serving a minimum 40-year sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. The school caretaker had lured the best friends to his home before killing them and dumping their bodies in a drainage ditch near RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
His then-girlfriend Maxine Carr was jailed for lying to police and attempting to cover up the killings. She was released in 2004 under an anonymity order and married in 2014.
Violent Prison History
Throughout his incarceration, Huntley faced multiple attacks from fellow inmates. In 2005, he was scalded with boiling water. He attempted suicide in his cell in 2006 before being rushed to hospital. In 2010, he survived having his throat slashed, requiring stitches for the wound.
Transferred to high-security HMP Frankland in 2008, Huntley remained there until his murder nearly two decades after his original crimes. A petition against a state-funded funeral for Huntley quickly amassed more than 55,000 signatures following news of his death.
