Anthony Russell, 43, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via a prison video-link on July 3, 2026, accused of the murder of Soham killer Ian Huntley. The charge was not formally put to him during the hearing.
Court proceedings and trial date
Mr Justice Hilliard presided over the hearing and set a series of deadlines for legal matters to be completed. A trial date had previously been scheduled for November 23, 2026. Russell was further remanded in custody until his next court appearance.
Details of the alleged attack
Russell is accused of attacking Huntley with a metal bar in a workshop at Frankland Prison in County Durham on February 26, 2026. Following the alleged assault, Huntley was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where he later died.
Background on Ian Huntley
Ian Huntley was serving a life sentence for the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire, in 2002. The case remains one of the most notorious in British criminal history.
According to Chronicle Live, Russell's next hearing is expected to address further procedural matters before the scheduled trial in November.
