Anthony Russell suspected in attack on Ian Huntley; anthony russell named as suspect

Triple killer anthony russell, 43, is suspected of attacking Soham murderer Ian Huntley, who remains in hospital in a serious condition after being found in a pool of blood following an assault with a makeshift weapon at HMP Frankland.

Anthony Russell named as suspect

Prison authorities and police investigators suspect Anthony Russell, 43, of carrying out the attack on Huntley. Russell is serving a whole-life prison term for the murders of Julie Williams, her son David Williams and Nicole McGregor. Nicole McGregor's body was found in woodland near Leamington Spa. Russell admitted those murders during a week-long spree in October 2020.

Attack at HMP Frankland workshop

Huntley, 52, was found lying in a pool of blood after being bludgeoned with a makeshift weapon at a prison workshop at HMP Frankland, the high-security prison in County Durham. The assault took place on Thursday and he was taken to hospital after being found in that condition.

Police earlier said a male prisoner in his mid-40s suspected of carrying out the attack was "in detention" but had not been arrested "at this stage". The force confirmed a police investigation is under way and that detectives are liaising with staff at the prison.

Injuries and hospital treatment

Huntley has suffered significant head trauma from his injuries and is undergoing treatment. In an update on Friday, Durham Constabulary said there had been "no change in the 52-year-old man's condition overnight - he remains in hospital in a serious condition. " The 52-year-old remains under medical care while inquiries continue.

History of previous attacks on Huntley

This is not the first time Huntley has been targeted in custody. He was slashed across the throat in 2010 and needed 21 stitches. In 2005 he was attacked when a convicted murderer threw boiling water over him at HMP Wakefield. 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 for 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.

Officials have noted that any prisoner convicted of a child sex crime is a target for other inmates. From his first day inside, there was a price on Huntley's head — not a monetary one, but the promise of "respect" for anyone who attacked him. In the violent world of a top security jail, respect from fellow inmates can be a powerful motivator; one account described witnessing a planned prison knife attack on a child sex offender and recalling it later with relish.

The Soham murders recalled

Huntley is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for murdering schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002. In the commuter town of Soham in Cambridgeshire, the two ten-year-old girls had been at a family barbeque and are believed to have been on their way to buy sweets when Huntley, then aged 28, lured them back to his home and killed them. The photograph of the girls in their red Manchester United football kits remains widely remembered.

Investigators continue to examine the circumstances of the assault at HMP Frankland while Huntley remains in hospital in a serious condition and those detained in connection with the incident remain in custody as inquiries progress.