Ian Huntley died from prison attack head injury

Ian Huntley died from prison attack head injury

Inquest into Huntley’s death opens

A coroner has confirmed that Ian Huntley, the convicted murderer from Soham, died as a result of a head injury sustained during a violent incident at HMP Frankland in Durham. The 52-year-old was attacked on 26 February by another prisoner using a metal bar, leading to his death nine days later at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Anthony Russell, 43, has been charged with Huntley’s murder and is set to appear in court on 24 April. The inquest, held in Crook, County Durham, was told that the attack left Huntley with “significant head injuries,” which were later determined to be the cause of his death by forensic pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton.

“The cause of death was established as a blunt head injury,” stated Dr Bolton during the short hearing.

A history of violent crime

Huntley, previously a school caretaker, 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. Their bodies were discovered in a ditch two weeks after they disappeared following a family barbecue in August of that year.

Their disappearance sparked national media coverage and prompted police appeals. Huntley, then 28, had lured the girls to his home under the pretense of buying sweets, resulting in their tragic deaths. The coroner, Jeremy Chipperfield, noted that the further inquiry into Huntley’s death will be paused until criminal proceedings are concluded.

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