Ian Huntley's Family Makes Secret Funeral Decision After Heated Row
Fears that Soham murderer Ian Huntley could receive a state-funded funeral have been quashed, as his family have reportedly made a crucial decision following a heated internal disagreement. The double child killer, who died earlier this month after a brutal prison attack, will not have any public service or memorial, according to new reports.
Family Rejects State Funding Out of Respect for Victims
Ian Huntley's family members have reportedly declined the offer of a state-funded funeral, which could have covered up to £3,000 in reasonable expenses under Ministry of Justice guidelines. Instead, they have opted for a basic cremation with his ashes scattered in a secret location. A source close to the family told The Sun: "There will be no service, no memorial, no mourners, nothing. It is as it should be."
The decision was made out of respect for the families of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the two young girls Huntley murdered in Soham in 2002. The family source added: "They have always been utterly appalled by what he did. It was unforgivable and, for those reasons, they could not in good conscience hold a funeral."
Family Disagreement Over Next of Kin and Funeral Plans
Prison sources have revealed that the issue of Huntley's next of kin sparked a significant family disagreement, with no one initially willing to claim responsibility for the killer. His daughter, Samantha, who only discovered she was Huntley's child at age 14, has been vocal in her opposition to any funeral. She told the Sun on Sunday: "He shouldn't have the dignity of a funeral and grave. I will not be going. A funeral is pointless for a man like him."
Samantha, now 27, expressed concern that a resting place could attract "freaks or weirdos" showing twisted respect, insisting that "the devil is waiting" for her father. Her mother, Katie, who fled Huntley's brutality after becoming pregnant at 16, also opposes any grave, stating: "I just cannot get out of my head what he did to Holly and Jessica and how he left them in a ditch. For that reason why should he be given the dignity of a grave?"
Mother's Harrowing Decision and Huntley's Final Days
The burden of deciding to turn off Huntley's ventilator reportedly fell to his mother, Lynda Huntley, 71, as Samantha had never met him. Lynda was the sole relative to visit him in hospital after the prison attack that left him severely brain damaged. She reportedly struggled to recognise him due to his injuries and told friends before his death that "it's better if he doesn't pull through."
A source described Lynda's experience as "harrowing," adding: "She's understandably torn by what has happened... Part of her just hopes he passes away this time." Huntley died just days after the attack, having been serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the murders of Holly and Jessica.
Ministry of Justice Guidelines and Public Outrage
The possibility of a state-funded funeral had sparked public outrage, given Huntley's crimes. Current guidelines stipulate that prisons must offer to pay up to £3,000 toward reasonable funeral expenses, covering costs like undertaker charges, coffin expenses, hearse hire, and cremation or burial fees. However, this does not extend to headstones, floral tributes, or wake expenses.
Huntley's family deemed even this basic provision inappropriate, leading to their secret plan for a cremation without ceremony. This decision may offer a sliver of peace to the victims' families, who have endured decades of anguish since the murders in August 2002.
