Convicted double child murderer Ian Huntley has reportedly been left "upset" after prison officers at HMP Frankland confiscated his Xbox and other personal belongings as part of a disciplinary crackdown. The notorious killer, who brutally murdered 10-year-old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire in 2002, faced the punishment after staff discovered he was keeping unauthorised items in his cell.
Prison Privileges Revoked Following Contraband Discovery
According to insider reports, prison officers at the high-security facility in County Durham found Huntley in possession of prohibited items including DVDs, USB sticks, and magazines that violated prison regulations. The discovery prompted immediate disciplinary action, resulting in Huntley being downgraded from his previous status and losing multiple privileges.
The punishment package included:
- Confiscation of his Xbox gaming console
- Reduced canteen spending limits
- Restricted visiting rights
- Loss of access to gym and workshop facilities
Mockery and Cell Transfer Add to Humiliation
A prison source revealed that Huntley's punishment has made him the "butt of a load of jokes" among fellow inmates at the Category A facility, which houses some of Britain's most dangerous criminals. The insider told The Sun newspaper: "He loved his Xbox and played it all the time. But he's most upset at being moved from his cell to one on the bottom floor next to all the old fogies on the wing."
The source added that Huntley's perceived arrogance had made him unpopular among other prisoners, stating: "He's quite arrogant and has been acting like the big 'I am' for ages so this will take him down a peg or two." The 51-year-old killer has reportedly been relocated to a section of the prison typically reserved for older inmates, adding to his humiliation.
Background: The Soham Murders That Shocked a Nation
Ian Huntley's crimes remain among the most notorious in modern British criminal history. On 4 August 2002, Huntley lured Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman into his home in Soham under false pretences. The two 10-year-old girls' disappearance sparked one of the UK's largest missing-persons searches, capturing national attention for weeks.
Their bodies were discovered 13 days later near a ditch close to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. Police investigations concluded both girls died from asphyxiation. Huntley was arrested after evidence linked him to the murders and was subsequently convicted at the Old Bailey in December 2003.
The court handed down two life sentences with a minimum term of 40 years, meaning Huntley won't be eligible for parole until 2042 at the earliest. Over his two decades in prison, Huntley has been the target of multiple violent attacks by other inmates and has reportedly made several suicide attempts.
Notorious Inmates at "Monster Mansion"
HMP Frankland, nicknamed "Monster Mansion" for housing some of Britain's most dangerous criminals, counts among its current inmates:
- Murderer Levi Bellfield
- Killer police officer Wayne Couzens
- Woolwich attacker Michael Adebolajo
The high-security prison maintains strict regulations regarding prisoner possessions and privileges, with the recent crackdown on Huntley's unauthorised items demonstrating the facility's zero-tolerance approach to rule violations. Prison authorities have emphasised that all inmates, regardless of their notoriety, must adhere to the same disciplinary standards and face consequences for breaches of prison regulations.
