Ex-Soham Killer Dies After Bloody HMP Frankland Assault
Ian Huntley, the notorious Soham murderer, has died after being savagely beaten over the head multiple times with a metal bar. The attack happened behind bars at HMP Frankland, Durham, on February 26. Huntley, 52, succumbed to his injuries at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle on March 7, an inquest revealed.
Inquest Details Shocking Prison Murder
The brief inquest, held in Crook, County Durham, was opened by Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield on Tuesday. Coroner’s officer Bradley King confirmed the grim details in a short statement:
“This 52-year-old male … 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.”
Pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton performed a post mortem and ruled the cause of death as “blunt head injury.”
Murder Charge Laid – Trial Dates Set
Police are investigating the brutal killing inside the high-security prison. Anthony Russell, 43, has been charged with murder over the assault on Huntley. The inquest has been adjourned until May 27, pending developments in the criminal case. Russell is due at Newcastle Crown Court on April 24 for a pre-trial hearing.
Huntley’s Dark Past Recalled
Huntley was serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. The girls vanished after leaving a family barbecue to buy sweets, only to be found dead days later. The ex-school caretaker lived with Maxine Carr, a teaching assistant at the girls’ school. He denied the murders but was convicted at the Old Bailey in 2003 and handed a life term with a minimum of 40 years. Carr was jailed for 21 months for perverting the course of justice after giving Huntley a false alibi. She now lives under a new identity. Stay tuned for updates as the case unfolds.
