Ian Huntley, the notorious Soham murderer, has been violently attacked in prison by a fellow inmate who struck him three times over the head with a metal bar. The assault occurred at approximately 9:30am today within the waste management workshop of HMP Frankland, where the 52-year-old was working alongside other prisoners from Wing A.
Serious Injuries Sustained in Brutal Assault
A prison source revealed to the Daily Mail that Huntley sustained "very, very serious injuries" after being struck on the skull with the weapon, which was grabbed from nearby waste metal crates. The assailant, described as a male prisoner in his mid-40s, launched the attack while Huntley was working in the segregated area reserved for inmates requiring protection from the general prison population.
"The other prisoner got a metal bar from the waste metal crates and smashed Huntley three times in the head with it," the source explained. "It was a very, very serious injury, having been struck on the skull like that."
Chaotic Scene and Critical Condition
Another source described the scene on the wing as "absolute chaos" following the assault, with Huntley's condition reportedly "touch and go." The attacker has been placed in segregation while Durham Constabulary investigates the incident, with forensic teams examining the workshop throughout the day to gather evidence.
A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary confirmed: "The 52-year-old prisoner who was injured during this morning's assault in the workshop at HMP Frankland remains in a serious condition in hospital following treatment for head injuries. A suspect, a male prisoner in his mid-40s, has been identified by officers investigating the incident. He has not been arrested at this stage, but remains in detention within the prison."
History of Prison Attacks Against Huntley
This marks the third significant attack on Huntley since his incarceration for the 2002 murders of ten-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. In 2010, armed robber Damien Fowkes slashed Huntley's throat with a homemade weapon, creating a seven-inch wound that required twenty-one stitches. Fowkes reportedly asked a prison officer afterward: "Is he dead? I hope so."
Previous assaults include:
- In 2005, fellow murderer Mark Hobson threw boiling water over Huntley at Wakefield Prison
- In 2018, another prisoner attempted to shank Huntley in an ambush
The Notorious Soham Murders
Huntley was convicted in 2003 of murdering best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman after luring them into his three-bedroom cottage in Soham, Cambridgeshire. The school caretaker initially claimed both deaths were accidental, stating Holly had drowned in his bath and that he accidentally suffocated Jessica while trying to stop her from screaming.
The disappearance of the two girls on August 4, 2002, following a family barbecue, sent shockwaves through the close-knit community and prompted one of the largest missing persons searches in British history. Their bodies were discovered more than a week later in a ditch approximately twelve miles away, after Huntley had returned to attempt to set them on fire.
Investigation and Aftermath
Suspicions about Huntley were raised during the investigation when he provided morbidly detailed accounts to journalists about how the girls might have reacted to being taken by a stranger. His then-fiancée Maxine Carr, a teaching assistant at the girls' school, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for providing a false alibi, though she famously turned on Huntley during court proceedings.
The case prompted a major inquiry that revealed a "deeply shocking" catalogue of errors across multiple organizations that had contact with Huntley before the murders. The inquiry made thirty-one recommendations to improve intelligence sharing, police information systems, and employment vetting nationwide, highlighting how Huntley had slipped through police vetting procedures despite previous sex allegations in his hometown of Grimsby.
Continued Notoriety Behind Bars
Huntley's crimes continue to provoke outrage among fellow inmates, compounded by his brazen behavior while incarcerated. Last year, he was reportedly seen wearing a No. 10 Manchester United-style shirt in what appeared to be a vile taunt referencing his victims, who were photographed in matching football shirts on the day they were murdered.
In 2018, Huntley appeared to confess to deliberately killing Jessica Chapman to prevent her from raising the alarm, while continuing to maintain that Holly Wells' death was accidental. He is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of forty years for the double murder, having pleaded not guilty at his trial.
Maxine Carr was released in 2004 with a new identity after serving her prison sentence for perverting the course of justice. The tragic case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman remains one of the most sickening child murders in British history, with their matching football shirt photograph becoming synonymous with the nationwide search that gripped the country.
