Kenneth Glad
A violent attack inside one of Britain’s most secure prisons has left one of the country’s most notorious killers in a critical condition. New reports suggest his injuries may be even more severe than first believed.
Ian Huntley, the man convicted of murdering schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, has reportedly been declared blind after a brutal assault in prison, according to coverage by The Sun.
The 52-year-old remains in hospital after suffering serious head injuries following the attack at HMP Frankland in County Durham.
The Sun writes that Huntley may have suffered brain trauma and severe damage to his eyes during the assault. The newspaper said medical staff now believe he has been left blind, though authorities have not publicly confirmed that detail.
A source quoted by the publication said: “It is miraculous he is still alive. Medics have worked miracles on him and he has clung on.”
The source added: “The prison nurses and staff who first saw him thought he was gone and medics said there was only a five per cent chance of survival after an attack like that.”
Attack inside prison
Durham Constabulary confirmed that a prisoner was taken to hospital after being seriously injured in an assault inside the Category A prison earlier this week.
Police said a man in his mid-40s had been identified in connection with the attack and remains detained within the prison.
According to LadBible, the assault took place inside a workshop area at the facility.
Reports indicated that a makeshift weapon described as a metal pole fitted with spikes was used during the attack. The alleged attacker was reported to have shouted: “I’ve done it, I’ve done it. I’ve killed him, I’ve killed him.”
Police also said forensic teams examined the workshop following the incident as investigators began gathering evidence.
The Soham murders
The developments have again brought attention to the Soham murders case that led to Huntley’s life sentence.
In August 2002, 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman disappeared from Soham, Cambridgeshire. Their bodies were discovered two weeks later in a ditch near Lakenheath in Suffolk.
During Huntley’s sentencing in 2003, Mr Justice Moses told the court: “You enticed two 10-year-old girls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, into your house. They were happy, intelligent and loyal.”
He added: “They were much loved by their families and all who knew them. You murdered them both. You are the one person who knows how you murdered them, you are the one person who knows why.”
HMP Frankland houses some of the UK’s most dangerous offenders, and prisoners convicted of crimes against children are often among the most vulnerable to attacks behind bars.
Sources: LadBible, The Sun
