Ian Huntley died from prison attack head injury

Prison Attack Led to Death of Soham Killer Ian Huntley

County Durham and Darlington senior coroner Jeremy Chipperfield revealed during an inquest that Ian Huntley, the convicted murderer of two schoolgirls from Soham, Cambridgeshire, died from a severe head injury sustained in a violent assault at HMP Frankland. The incident occurred on 26 February, when Huntley, then 52, was struck repeatedly with a metal bar by another inmate. He passed away nine days later at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Previously, Huntley had served a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years for the 2002 murders of 10-year-old friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. The attack that led to his death was described in documents as “multiple blows to the head using an object identified as a metal bar,” leaving him with critical injuries. A post-mortem conducted by forensic pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton determined the cause of death as “blunt trauma to the head.”

“His further investigation will be postponed until criminal charges are filed,” stated Chipperfield, opening the brief inquest in Crook, County Durham.

Anthony Russell, 43, has been accused of causing Huntley’s death and is set to appear in Newcastle Crown Court on 24 April. The schoolgirls vanished after a family barbecue in August 2002, believed to be heading to purchase sweets when they were lured to Huntley’s home by the then-28-year-old. Their bodies were discovered in a ditch two weeks after their disappearance, sparking national media attention and police appeals for information.

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