Ian Huntley Dead: Soham Killer Battered and in Serious Condition After Prison Workshop Attack

'ian huntley dead' appears amid unfolding developments as Ian Huntley, serving a life sentence, remains in hospital in a serious condition after being attacked with a makeshift weapon by another inmate.

Ian Huntley Dead: Hospital Condition and Head Trauma

Ian Huntley, 52, is undergoing treatment in hospital after sustaining significant head trauma in the assault. Durham Constabulary said there had been no change in the 52-year-old man's condition overnight and that he remains in hospital in a serious condition. He was taken to hospital after being found in a pool of blood at HMP Frankland in County Durham on Thursday (date unclear in the provided context).

Suspected Attacker Identified as Anthony Russell, 43

Investigators suspect triple killer Anthony Russell, 43, carried out the attack. Russell is serving a whole-life prison term for murdering Julie Williams, her son David Williams and Nicole McGregor, whose body was found in woodland near Leamington Spa. Russell had admitted the murders during a week-long spree in October 2020.

Scene at HMP Frankland and Ongoing Inquiry

Huntley was reportedly bludgeoned with a makeshift weapon at a prison workshop at HMP Frankland. He was found lying in a pool of blood and taken to hospital. Police earlier said a male prisoner in his mid-40s suspected of carrying out the attack was in detention within the prison but had not been arrested at this stage. A police investigation is under way and detectives are liaising with staff at the prison. The precise timing and additional operational details remain unclear in the provided context.

Prison Context: High Security Unit and 'Monster Mansion' Nickname

HMP Frankland is described as a high-security prison that houses some of the most dangerous criminals, including murderers and rapists, and has the nickname 'Monster Mansion' in the context provided. Huntley would have been on Rule 43, held in the prison's unit for vulnerable inmates—mostly sex offenders and some police informants.

Previous Attacks on Huntley in Custody

This is not the first time Huntley has been targeted in custody. In 2010 he was slashed across the throat and needed 21 stitches. A later account notes the attacker, Damien Fowkes, was jailed; 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. That wound was described as seven inches long and the court was told the weapon missed anything vital. Separately, Huntley was attacked in 2005 at HMP Wakefield when a convicted murderer threw boiling water over him.

Reputation, Risk and Prison Culture

Within the prison context provided, any prisoner convicted of a child sex crime is a target for other inmates. From his first day inside, there was said to be a price on Huntley's head—not monetary, but the promise of 'respect' for anyone who attacked him. Comment within the context describes a violent culture in top-security jails where respect among inmates can drive planned attacks. One former inmate recounted witnessing a planned knife attack and later recounted it with relish, illustrating the danger faced by those labelled 'the lowest of the low' inside such units.

Soham Murders and Public Memory

Huntley is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the murders of ten-year-old Holly Wells and ten-year-old Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire in August 2002. The context notes the girls had been at a family barbeque and were 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 image of the girls in red Manchester United football kits is described as etched in the minds of many who remember their disappearance and murder.

Details remain fluid in the provided context: the investigation is ongoing, the suspect is said to be in detention within the prison and not arrested at this stage, and the medical prognosis for Huntley beyond the classification of "serious condition" is not specified here. Further operational and legal developments were not supplied in the material provided.