Ian Huntley, the former school caretaker convicted of murdering 10-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham in 2002, faced a savage assault in HMP Frankland. The 52-year-old double killer suffered severe head injuries from a spiked metal pole wielded by fellow inmate Anthony Russell, a triple murderer.
Details of the Violent Attack
Huntley endured six blows to the head during a workshop incident on Thursday morning, leaving him in a pool of blood and reportedly in a coma with his head described as “split in two.” Prison officials confirm serious assaults like this occur regularly, but this case draws attention due to Huntley’s notoriety. The suspect now faces isolation in a segregation unit as operations resume normally.
Behavior and Reputation in HMP Frankland
Prior to the attack, Huntley maintained a low profile while carrying out duties, appearing relatively pleasant yet deeply paranoid. A prison insider described his demeanor: “He kept his head down and did his time. He walked about with a kind of swagger like he thought he was somebody, and he had a reputation for trying to get his name into the press and having people sell stories about him. He was respectful, more or less.”
A-Wing, housing around 180 of the prison’s most dangerous inmates, functions as a tight-knit society of serious offenders. Insiders note that violence is commonplace, but Huntley’s high-profile status amplifies scrutiny.
Background on the Soham Murders
Huntley lured the girls, who wore Manchester United shirts, from a family barbecue on August 4, 2002, to buy sweets. He dumped their bodies in a nearby ditch and serves a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years. During his 2003 Old Bailey trial, Huntley claimed Holly drowned in his bath due to a nosebleed and that he accidentally killed Jessica while silencing her. Jurors rejected his account as fabrication.
Previous Prison Violence
This marks Huntley’s second major attack. In 2010, inmate Damien Fowkes slashed his neck with a makeshift weapon, inflicting an 18cm gash needing 21 stitches. Fowkes reportedly asked a guard, “Is he dead? I hope so,” labeling Huntley a “notorious child killer” inside and outside prison.
