Ian Huntley's biological daughter, Samantha Bryan, has spoken of her relief following the attack on her father in prison. The 27-year-old beautician, who only discovered Huntley was her father at age 14, said she felt an 'overwhelming sense of relief' upon hearing he might die.
Huntley, 50, died in hospital after being attacked in HMP Frankland. He was hit multiple times in the head with a metal pole, allegedly by triple murderer Anthony Russell, and suffered serious brain injuries. His mother reportedly agreed to remove him from life support.
Bryan told The Sun on Sunday: 'I started crying because I thought he was dead - it was an overwhelming sense of relief. Being his daughter has been a heavy burden. It felt like I could breathe again. I felt if he died, that burden died with him.'
She had previously attempted to visit Huntley in prison but was rebuffed with a letter in which he wrote: 'Given the probable length of my future and your current motives I doubt there will be enough time for a significant shift in circumstances in order for us to ever meet.' Bryan described him as a 'pitiful, twisted, manipulative coward'.
Huntley was serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. He had been in prison for over 20 years at the time of the attack.
Experts say that despite his notoriety, Huntley is entitled to a funeral. His body will be released to his next of kin after a post-mortem and inquest, as is mandatory for deaths in custody.
