Ian Huntley Suffers Brutal Prison Assault with Metal Pole
Notorious Soham murderer Ian Huntley was viciously attacked up to fifteen times with a three-foot metal pole while working in a prison recycling workshop, according to multiple sources. The assault occurred at HMP Frankland in County Durham on Thursday morning, leaving Huntley with life-threatening injuries including brain damage, a fractured skull, and a broken jaw.
Medically Induced Coma and Grave Prognosis
The 52-year-old killer remains hospitalized in a medically induced coma on life support, with doctors reportedly shocked by his survival. Medical professionals initially gave Huntley only a five percent chance of living through the brutal beating, which occurred around 9:30 AM as he bent down to tie string on a recycling crate.
"It is miraculous he is still alive," an insider revealed. "Medics have worked miracles on him and he has clung on. The prison nurses and staff who first saw him thought he was gone."
Prime Suspect Identified as Triple Murderer
Multiple prison sources have identified Anthony Russell, a 43-year-old serving life for triple murder and rape, as the likely attacker. Russell allegedly showed no remorse for the bludgeoning, which reportedly rendered Huntley unrecognizable even to his own mother, Lynda Richards, who visited him in hospital.
The attack was described as "unbelievably savage" by sources, with one witness stating: "Russell just kept hitting and hitting him." The violence was so extreme that part of the metal bar became lodged in Huntley's head during the assault.
Prison Culture and Lack of Intervention
Fellow prisoners reportedly knew about the impending attack and discussed it the night before, yet none intervened as it unfolded. Staff eventually stopped the assault, with both officers and inmates initially believing Huntley had been killed.
"Many inmates are said to have cheered rather than rush to his aid," sources revealed, adding that there had been a "queue" of prisoners wanting to attack Huntley, including Darren Osborne, the Finsbury Park Mosque attacker.
Russell's Celebration and Segregation
As he was led away in handcuffs, Russell was reportedly heard boasting: "I've done it, I've done it! I've killed him, I've killed him!" He has since been moved to a segregation unit and could remain isolated from other prisoners for five to ten years as punishment.
Russell, from Coventry, was originally imprisoned for a week-long killing spree in October 2020 during which he murdered Julie Williams and her son David Williams before raping and murdering Nicole McGregor, who was five months pregnant at the time.
Huntley's Mother's Heart-Wrenching Dilemma
Huntley's mother, Lynda Richards, 71, made a secret 175-mile journey from Lincolnshire to visit her son in hospital, escorted by a Prison Service liaison officer. Despite their close relationship, she has told friends "part of me hopes he dies" and that she "just wants to be free of it."
"It's an extraordinarily difficult thing for her to come to terms with," a source explained. "Part of her just hopes he passes away this time. She knows few will mourn his passing if he dies - but she is still his mother."
Prison Lockdown and Security Concerns
HMP Frankland, a Category A high-security prison, was locked down following the attack with officers searching cells for weapons amid fears of copycat assaults. Huntley had been housed on Wing A, a segregated unit for prisoners requiring protection from the general population.
One former prison officer warned: "Just like on the outside when something horrendous happens you get copycats looking for five minutes of fame. It's the same in a prison but obviously the tension will be very much heightened."
Huntley's Criminal History and Prison Experiences
Huntley is serving at least 40 years for the 2002 murders of ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. He lured the friends into his cottage after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets, then murdered them and dumped their bodies in a ditch.
This is not Huntley's first serious prison attack. In 2005, he was scalded with boiling water at HMP Wakefield, and in 2010, he had his throat slashed at HMP Frankland. His paranoia about further attacks reportedly led him to avoid prison meals, surviving instead on snacks like cheesy Wotsits from the prison shop.
Medical Response and Ongoing Investigation
Paramedics and an air ambulance descended on the prison following the attack, finding Huntley in a pool of blood. He was immediately placed in an induced coma and transported to hospital by road. The ward where he is being treated has been cleared of other patients and is now guarded by armed police and senior justice officials.
Durham Constabulary confirmed: "A 52-year-old man remains in hospital in a serious condition." Police are investigating the assault but have neither arrested a suspect nor confirmed Russell's identity as the attacker.
Potential Transfer to Secure Hospital
If Huntley survives, he is unlikely to return to HMP Frankland and would probably be transferred to one of England's three secure hospitals: Broadmoor in Berkshire, Rampton in Nottinghamshire, or Ashworth on Merseyside. Such a move would keep him isolated from other inmates while allowing close medical monitoring.
The attack has highlighted the ongoing dangers faced by high-profile prisoners and the complex dynamics within maximum-security facilities, where notorious offenders often become targets for violence from fellow inmates.
