Anthony Russell: Soham murderer Ian Huntley in serious condition after workshop prison attack

anthony russell unclear in the provided context. Ian Huntley, the Soham murderer convicted of killing two 10-year-old girls in 2002, has suffered head injuries after an assault inside HMP Frankland and remains in a serious condition in hospital.

Anthony Russell and prison assault

Ian Huntley, 52, was found in a pool of blood this morning following an alleged attack by an unknown inmate in a workshop at HMP Frankland in County Durham and was taken to hospital. A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: "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. "

Attack at HMP Frankland workshop

Police forensic teams "have examined the scene of the attack throughout the day to gather evidence. " A suspect has been identified: "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. "

Medical response and timing

Emergency services were called early on Thursday. "We received a call at 9. 23am on Thursday 26 February 2026 to reports of an incident at HM Prison Frankland in County Durham. We dispatched two ambulance crews to the scene and requested support from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). One patient was transported to hospital by road, " a North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said. A Prison Service spokesperson added: "A prisoner is receiving treatment after an incident at HMP Frankland on Thursday morning. It would be inappropriate to comment further while police investigate. "

Past attacks and convictions

Huntley was convicted of the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire, in 2002 and is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years at HMP Frankland in County Durham. He was jailed for life in 2003 and was told by a judge he had "little hope of release". The disappearance and murders of the two 10-year-old schoolgirls captured the attention of the nation in 2002.

Details of the 2002 case

Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went missing on 4 August 2002 after leaving a family barbecue to go for a walk and to buy sweets. They were pupils at Soham's junior school and were missing for 13 days during a search that became one of the most intensive in British criminal history; a total of 400 police officers were assigned full-time to the case, with investigators questioning every registered sex offender in Cambridgeshire and neighbouring Lincolnshire. A fortnight after searches began, the youngsters' bodies were found in a ditch about 10 miles away, near RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk; they had been asphyxiated.

Suspicions and evidence in the original case

Huntley, a former school caretaker, became a suspect after claiming to have had a conversation with the girls shortly after they were last seen. His agitated demeanour and questions about how long DNA evidence would last caused police to become suspicious. Initially he was given an alibi by his then partner, Maxine Carr, a teaching assistant the girls knew, but this broke down under police questioning. Officers later found charred pieces of the Manchester United shirts the girls had been wearing when they disappeared and other evidence connecting him to the crime. Carr later served half of a 42-month sentence for perverting the course of justice.

Previous attacks at Frankland

The latest incident is not the first time Huntley has been attacked at HMP Frankland. In 2011 an inmate who slashed Huntley's throat with a makeshift knife was jailed for life. Damien Fowkes was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years for the attempted murder of Huntley in March 2010 and the manslaughter of child killer Colin Hatch. Fowkes inflicted a wound seven inches long on Huntley's neck and the court was told it was only "good fortune" that the weapon missed anything vital.

Prison context and recent violence

HMP Frankland is a category A prison, meaning it has the highest level of security, and houses a number of high-profile inmates, including Michael Adebolajo, Levi Bellfield and Wayne Couzens. Violent attacks at the prison are not uncommon. In April last year, three prison officers were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries including burns and stab wounds after being allegedly attacked with hot cooking oil and homemade weapons by an inmate, Hashem Abedi, the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi.

Legal and investigative follow-up

Durham Constabulary has opened a police investigation. "Police were alerted to an assault which had taken place within HMP Frankland in Durham this morning. A male prisoner suffered serious injuries during the incident and was transported to hospital. A police investigation is now under way into the circumstances of the incident and detectives are liaising with staff at the prison. " It is thought Huntley was knocked unconscious with a metal pole and his condition was described as "touch and go. "

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All quoted statements and details are taken from the material provided and reflect the sequence of events, the emergency response, the identification of a suspect, the condition of the injured prisoner and historical information about Ian Huntley's crimes and previous attacks at HMP Frankland.