Soham murderer Ian Huntley attacked in jail21: 16 21/03/2010, David Batty, guardian.co.uk, news, prisons and probation, society, the murders of Soham,

Soham murderer Ian Huntley attacked in jail21: 16 21/03/2010, David Batty, guardian.co.uk, news, prisons and probation, society, the murders of Soham, news, UK Guardian Unlimited

Ian Huntley in hospital recovering after an attack by another inmate

The Soham murderer Ian Huntley, is recovering in hospital after being attacked today by a fellow prisoner, the Ministry of Justice has said.

The 36-year-old was taken for treatment after being attacked at Frankland Prison in County Durham, where he is serving two life sentences for the murder of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Reports suggested that his throat was cut, but his condition is not believed to be life threatening.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "A prisoner at HMP Frankland was assaulted by another inmate at about 3.25pm on Sunday 21 March. The prisoner was transferred to an outside hospital for treatment. His condition is not considered life-threatening .

Huntley was convicted of murdering Holly and Jessica, who was 10, in December 2003 after disappearing from their homes in Soham, Cambridgeshire, in August 2002. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years.

Huntley, caretaker of the school in Soham, and his then girlfriend, Maxine Carr, a teaching assistant in the school class of young girls told police they knew nothing about the circumstances of the disappearance of girls.

But it became clear during the trial at the Old Bailey in December 2003 that Huntley had met Holly and Jessica, as he walked past his house, enticed inside and killed them before hiding their remains.

Assault of yesterday is not the first time Huntley, who has regularly been threatened with revenge attacks, has been attacked in jail.

In September 2005 he was scalded with boiling water by another inmate at the high security prison in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The attack occurred in the health wing of the jail, which houses some of the most dangerous prisoners in the country. He was badly scalded after rapist Paul Marshall, 35, threw water over him.

The following year, Huntley was held at knifepoint by another inmate at Wakefield after an ambush on the way back to his cell after a meal. The Sun at the time that the alleged attacker used a sharpened plastic knife and Huntley was forced to fight for their lives to repel the assault.

Huntley has made three suicide attempts in jail. He was transferred to Frankland, a category A prison, in January 2008. The same year, prison inspectors expressed concern about violence in prison.

The Justice Ministry declined to confirm whether an investigation into the assault had begun.

Soham murders
Prisons and Probation
David Batty


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