An inquest into the death of Soham killer Ian Huntley has been suspended pending a criminal trial.
The child killer, 52, died from serious head injuries after being attacked with a metal bar, a previous hearing was told. He was hit over the head “multiple times” in top security HMP Frankland where he was serving life for the murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10.
Huntley was rushed to hospital and placed on a life support machine but died nine days later. During a short hearing today at Crook coroners' court, Durham senior coroner Jeremy Chipperfield adjourned the inquest until December 16, with a criminal trial due to take place in November.
Criminal proceedings
Anthony Russell, 43, who was also an inmate at Frankland, has been charged with Huntley’s murder. Mr Chipperfield asked whether Russell had entered pleas and was told by his coroner’s officer that psychiatric assessments have been carried out on behalf of the prosecution and defence.
The coroner said the inquest will remain suspended until the completion of the criminal proceedings and it will then be considered whether it was necessary to complete the inquest. Mr Chipperfield said: “That cannot happen until we know the shape of any trial.”
Background of the case
Huntley was sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for murdering pals Holly and Jessica in Soham, Cambridgeshire, in 2002. Their disappearance sparked a two-week long search while caretaker Huntley acted as a Good Samaritan and spoke openly to the press.
However it later emerged he had lured them into the home he shared with their teaching assistant Maxine Carr after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets. Huntley and Carr were arrested 13 days after the girls went missing but he denied the murders and put the girls’ families through a harrowing six-week trial at the Old Bailey.
After he was convicted, he was first sent to Wakefield prison before being transferred to Frankland in 2008. Carr, 49, admitted perverting the course of justice but was cleared of assisting an offender. She was jailed for three-and-a-half years and was given a new identity when she was released.
Details of death
During a previous inquest hearing, coroner’s officer Bradley King read out a statement giving the details of Huntley’s death. He said: “This 52-year-old male was born on January 31 in 1974 in Grimsby. His last employment status and occupation is recorded as being a prisoner. He resided at HMP Frankland.
“He died on March 7 2026 at Royal Victoria Infirmary. I understand the circumstances to be that Mr Huntley was struck over the head multiple times by another prisoner with an object described as a metal bar.
“The assault left Mr Huntley with significant head injuries. He would later pass away at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle on March 7 2026. On March 9 Dr Jennifer Bolton conducted a Post Mortem examination and has given a provisional cause of death as blunt head injury.”
After his death reports claimed Huntley had been cremated in secret without a funeral service or any mourners. His body was released to the Prison Service before being taken to a crematorium. His family was offered a £3,000 state-funded funeral service - but turned it down out of respect for the families of his victims.
