Some prison staff at HMP Frankland could face disciplinary action as a Justice watchdog launches a probe into Ian Huntley’s death behind bars last week
A Justic watchdog has launched a prison probe into the death of Ian Huntley – which could lead to disciplinary action against some staff.
The Soham murderer was rushed to hospital last Thursday after a fellow inmate allegedly bludgeoned his head with a metal pole. Huntley was initially assumed dead when prison officers found him lying on the ground in a pool of blood at HMP Frankland.
The child killer sustained severe injuries – including skull fractures, brain damage and a broken jaw. His grim final days were spent in a medically induced coma, with a ventilator to help him breathe. His mother Lynda Richards, who snuck in to visit her dying son, apparently couldn’t recognise Huntley after the attack.
READ MORE: Wayne Couzens ‘fears he’ll be next’ after Ian Huntley attack in prisonREAD MORE: Ian Huntley hinted at hard time in jail in hand-written letter days before death
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Ministry of Justice confirmed Huntley died on Saturday morning (March 7), after Huntley’s mum Lynda, 71, agreed to let medics withdraw life support.
Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were two 10‑year‑old best friends from Soham, Cambridgeshire, who disappeared on 4 August 2002 after leaving a family barbecue to buy sweets.
They were lured into the home of local school caretaker Ian Huntley, who murdered them and later attempted to dispose of their bodies; their remains were found 13 days later, and Huntley was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years.
Maxine Carr, the girlfriend of Ian Huntley, became infamous for providing Huntley with a false alibi after the girls went missing, claiming she was with him at the time of the murders. Carr was convicted of perverting the course of justice and served a sentence of three and a half years in prison.
After her release, she was placed on the Sex Offenders Register due to her proximity to children through her work, and her identity has been heavily restricted under UK law.
Huntley was attacked a number of times behind bars including in September 2005, when the killer was scalded with boiling water whilst detained at HMP Wakefield in Yorkshire. Five years later, in 2010, Huntley was rushed to the University Hospital of North Durham after suffering a slash wound to the throat from a makeshift weapon.
Damien Fowkes, 36, admitted to the attempted murder of Huntley, as well as the killing of fellow inmate Colin Hatch, a paedophile and child murderer, at Full Sutton Prison, near York.
In the days leading up to the fatal attack Huntley sent his last note on February 18 which hinted that he was having a tough time behind bars and hinted at fears he was about to be targeted in prison. Huntley told the female penpal “I’ve had a lot to deal with lately”.
A Prisons and Probation Ombudsman spokesperson told The Sun: “I can confirm we are investigating the death of Ian Huntley. Our target is to issue the initial report with 26 weeks. Our investigation will examine what happened leading up to Mr Huntley’s death and any learning for the organisations involved.”
