Ian Huntley Denied State Funeral Following Prison Death
Soham murderer Ian Huntley, who died in hospital earlier this month, will reportedly not have a funeral. The child killer, aged 52, passed away on March 7 after being brutally attacked at HMP Frankland in Durham on February 26.
Family Declines State-Funded Service
According to reports from The Sun, Huntley's relatives have declined the offer of a state-funded funeral service. Instead, his ashes will be scattered in a secret location by his family members. This decision comes after a petition signed by over 50,000 people called for him not to receive a taxpayer-funded funeral.
Daughter's Strong Opposition
Huntley's daughter, Samantha Bryan, expressed her firm stance against any funeral for her father. She stated, "He shouldn't have the dignity of a funeral and grave. I will not be going. A funeral is pointless for a man like him. Funerals are supposed to be about celebrating someone's life and there's nothing about him to celebrate."
She added, "It takes up people's valuable time and he's not worth it. There's no point having a funeral as he'll burn in hell. There is no place for him in heaven. The devil is waiting."
Prison Service Funeral Policy
The prison service can provide up to £3,000 of public money for a basic funeral for any inmate who dies while in custody. This policy had raised concerns that the double child killer might receive a funeral funded by taxpayers.
Justice Minister's Comments
Justice Minister Sarah Sackman previously addressed the situation, stating, "This man, Ian Huntley, doesn't deserve anything more than the absolute bare minimum. We're not spending £3,000. That's the maximum in our policy that it affords. But the key thing here is that we stand with those families. I don't really want to be talking about Ian Huntley. What I'm only sorry about is that he's no longer alive, rotting in prison, thinking about what he did to those two little girls."
Background of the Crimes
Ian Huntley was a school caretaker who murdered two young girls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, in a case that horrified the nation in 2002. He was serving a life sentence for these crimes at the time of his death.
Family's Position on the Crimes
A source told The Sun, "There will be no funeral. How could there be after what he did? He will simply be cremated and his ashes handed to his family." The source added that Huntley's family had "always been utterly appalled" by his crimes and "could not in good conscience" hold a funeral for him.
