Taxpayers have covered the £2,000 cost of Soham murderer Ian Huntley's funeral after he died following an alleged attack at HMP Frankland in February. The child killer was cremated in an eco-friendly 'natural coffin' costing £265, with no mourners present, in a service paid for by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
Funeral Expenses Breakdown
The MoJ spent a total of £1,915 on Huntley's cremation, according to reports. This includes £625 for 'professional services', a £275 fee for transporting his body from the hospital, £65 for a cremation casket, £265 for a 'jute natural coffin', and £100 for staff attendance and supervision. The MoJ typically covers basic funeral expenses for prisoners, with up to £3,000 available, paid directly to the funeral director. This does not cover wakes, headstones, or burial plots.
Eco-Friendly Coffin Choice
The jute natural coffin is made from biodegradable materials designed to minimize environmental impact and was reportedly the cheapest option available. Huntley's ashes will be given to his mother, Lynda Richards, his next of kin. She paid him a final visit in hospital, where he was in a vegetative state after his life support was switched off.
Background of the Crimes
Huntley, a former school caretaker, murdered 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002 after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets in Soham, Cambridgeshire. He dumped their bodies in a ditch 10 miles away. Convicted in 2003 at the Old Bailey, he was sentenced to life with a minimum of 40 years. Following his death, a petition opposing taxpayer-funded funeral costs garnered 64,000 signatures. Inmate Anthony Russell, 43, has been charged with Huntley's murder.
