Soham murderer Ian Huntley was attacked in a prison workshop on Thursday, as he continues to serve a life sentence for murdering two girls back in 2002 ― he remains in hospital
Soham sicko murderer Ian Huntley currently remains in a serious condition in hospital after he was attacked while in prison on Thursday (February 26). Police are continuing to investigate the incident whilst Ian is reportedly “fighting for his life”.
Ian had been serving his sentence at HMP Frankland in County Durham, known for being a high-security prison, housing some of the worst criminals in the country. This is, however, not the first time that he has been attacked as he was struck on two other occasions, one of which was in HMP Frankland itself.
And with inmates reportedly “jumping” at the chance to attack the child killer in order to boost their own prison “reputation”, the events of what happened on Thursday remain unclear. Officers have already identified a suspect in the case and are now holding him away from other jailbirds. This is what we know so far about the attack on the Soham murderer.
Timeline of the attack
Ian Huntley had been serving a life sentence for murdering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August of 2002. He had been carrying out the sentence at HMP Frankland for nearly 20 years at the time of the attack on Thursday.
It is believed that the 52-year-old man had been attending a workshop in the prison when the attack began at around 9am. A spokesperson for the prison service said: “Police were alerted to an assault which had taken place within HMP Frankland in County Durham this morning.
“A male prisoner suffered serious injuries during the incident and was transported to hospital,” the statement continued — according to the BBC. He was rushed to the emergency department later in the morning, where he currently remains at this stage.
What weapons were used
The Sun, who first reported the story, revealed that a metal pole was believed to have been used to strike Ian. Later reports confirmed throughout the day that the metal pole had a spiked edge to it.
It is believed that the attack was deliberate and the blow had knocked him unconscious almost immediately. But this is not the first time that Ian, believed to be a “vulnerable” prisoner, has been attacked.
Back in 2005, Huntley was targeted by a group of lags looking to get their revenge, pouring scalding hot water on him whilst he was at the healthcare centre of HMP Wakefield. Then, in 2010, he was attacked a second time — this time at HMP Franklin, where he was slashed across the throat, but was able to survive.
Wide-ranging wounds
Following the attack, Huntley is reported to have been left lying in a pool of his own blood on the prison wing. After he was given immediate treatment by prison guards, he was rushed to hospital to be given emergency help from doctors.
Sources from within the prison had said the monster killer had been hit on the head in the brutal attack, and his condition was described as being “touch and go” afterwards. It was confirmed that he was taken to the hospital by ambulance, although an air ambulance was also dispatched to the scene.
The full extent of his wounds is not yet known, as police and the prison service alike have launched their own investigations into what happened. There is currently no new information on the current state of his condition.
Investigations underway
In a statement in the hours after the attack, Durham Constabulary confirmed that an investigation was now underway. Detectives are now reported to be liaising with staff at HMP Frankland following the attack.
The force also said they had identified a male prisoner in his mid-40s who had been suspected of carrying out the attack. He is now being held “in detention”, but as per their investigations, he has not been arrested as a result of the attack.
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings.