Ian Huntley Hospital Condition Unchanged After Violent Prison Assault
Soham murderer Ian Huntley continues to be in a serious medical state two days after sustaining severe injuries during a violent incident at a maximum security prison. According to Durham Constabulary, there has been no improvement in his condition overnight, with the 52-year-old remaining hospitalized under close observation.
Details of the Brutal Attack at HMP Frankland
The assault occurred on Thursday morning within the workshop area of HMP Frankland in Durham. Reports indicate that inmate Anthony Russell, a convicted triple killer serving a whole life tariff, allegedly struck Huntley repeatedly over the head with a metal bar. Witnesses claim Russell shouted "I've done it, I've done it" immediately following the attack.
Durham Constabulary has confirmed that a man in his mid-40s was detained at the prison following the incident but has not yet been formally arrested. The force has declined to publicly identify the suspect, though sources have named Russell as the alleged perpetrator.
History of Attacks Against the Notorious Child Killer
This most recent violent episode represents the latest in a series of attempts on Huntley's life while incarcerated. Prison authorities had reportedly been maintaining heightened surveillance on the convicted murderer to prevent exactly this type of assault.
In 2010, inmate Damien Fowkes inflicted a severe neck wound on Huntley using a homemade weapon, creating a 7-inch laceration that required 21 stitches to close. Following that attack, Fowkes inquired whether Huntley had died, expressing hope that the child killer had been eliminated.
Background of the Perpetrators
Ian Huntley is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the August 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. The former school caretaker lured the girls from a family barbecue before killing them and disposing of their bodies in a ditch.
Anthony Russell received a whole life tariff in 2021 for three separate murders committed in Coventry and near Leamington Spa. His victims included 58-year-old Julie Williams, her 32-year-old son David Williams, and pregnant 31-year-old Nicole McGregor, whom he also raped before leaving her body in woodland.
The prison system continues to face challenges in protecting high-profile inmates like Huntley from attacks by other prisoners, particularly those with nothing left to lose due to already serving life sentences without possibility of parole.
