Ian Huntley Blinded and Unconscious Following Prison Workshop Assault
Double child murderer Ian Huntley has been blinded and is not expected to regain consciousness after a violent assault in prison. The attack occurred on February 26 in the workshop of HMP Frankland, a maximum security facility in Durham.
Details of the Violent Incident
According to reports, Huntley was repeatedly struck over the head by an inmate armed with a metal bar. The assailant has been identified as Anthony Russell, a 43-year-old killer and rapist serving a whole life tariff. Witnesses stated that Russell shouted "I've done it, I've done it" immediately after the assault in the prison's recycling area.
Huntley has been kept on life support in hospital since the attack and has not recovered consciousness. A source close to the situation revealed: "Huntley never recovered from the battering and never stood much of a chance of doing so."
Police Investigation and Family Reaction
Durham Constabulary has confirmed that a man in his mid-40s has been detained in connection with the assault, though they have not officially named the suspect. Following the attack, Huntley's only daughter Samantha Bryan, 27, commented on her father's condition, stating: "There's a special place in hell waiting for him."
Huntley's Notorious Crimes and Previous Prison Attacks
Ian Huntley was convicted in 2003 for the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. The girls were killed on August 4, 2002, after leaving a family barbecue to buy sweets. Huntley, who worked as a school caretaker at the time, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years after dumping their bodies in a ditch.
This is not the first violent attack Huntley has suffered while incarcerated. In 2010, robber Damien Fowkes slashed Huntley's neck with a homemade weapon, creating a 7-inch (18cm) wound that required 21 stitches. Fowkes asked a prison officer after the attack: "Is he dead? I hope so," describing Huntley as a "notorious child killer, both inside prison and in society in general."
Background of the Attacker
Anthony Russell, the inmate who attacked Huntley, received a whole life tariff in 2021 for multiple murders. His crimes included killing Julie Williams, 58, and her son David Williams, 32, at separate flats in Coventry, as well as murdering pregnant Nicole McGregor, whose body was found in woodland near Leamington Spa three days later. Russell also raped Ms. McGregor, who was 31 years old at the time of her death.
The prison service has not released an official statement regarding the incident, but sources confirm that Huntley's condition remains critical with no expectation of recovery. The attack highlights ongoing security concerns within the maximum security prison system and the particular vulnerabilities of high-profile inmates serving sentences for particularly heinous crimes.
