Ian Huntley Injured in Prison Assault
Soham double murderer Ian Huntley has sustained serious injuries following an assault at HMP Frankland in County Durham, according to BBC reports.
Huntley is serving a life sentence after being convicted of the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002.
"It would be inappropriate to comment further while police investigate," a Prison Service spokesperson stated, although the Prison Service confirmed that an inmate is receiving medical treatment.
The attack reportedly occurred in a prison workshop shortly before 09:30 GMT.
An air ambulance was dispatched to the prison; however, the North East Ambulance Service confirmed the injured prisoner was transported to hospital by road.
Durham Constabulary has confirmed an ongoing police investigation, with detectives coordinating with prison staff.
"Police were alerted to an assault which had taken place within HMP Frankland in Durham this morning," a Durham police spokesman said. "A male prisoner suffered serious injuries during the incident and was transported to hospital."
Background on the Soham Murders
The deaths of 10-year-olds Jessica and Holly in the Cambridgeshire village of Soham on 4 August 2002 shocked the nation.
Their bodies were discovered in a ditch near an air base in Lakenheath, Suffolk, two weeks after their disappearance.
Huntley, who was employed as a caretaker at Soham Village College, was arrested and subsequently convicted on 17 December 2003 following a trial at the Old Bailey.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years before eligibility for release.
His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, a teaching assistant at the girls' primary school, was also convicted in 2003 for conspiring to pervert the course of justice and received a prison sentence.
Huntley's Past and Prison History
Following his arrest, it emerged that Huntley, now aged 52, had been able to work with children despite previous complaints of rape and sexual assault against him.
Prior to the murders, Huntley had been subject to multiple complaints filed with police in Humberside, where he had been employed.
A subsequent inquiry resulted in the implementation of criminal background checks for individuals working with children.
This recent assault is not the first time Huntley has been injured while incarcerated.
In September 2005, Huntley was scalded with boiling water at HMP Wakefield while in the healthcare wing of the West Yorkshire prison.
In 2008, Huntley was transferred to HMP Frankland, a Category A high-security men's prison.
While at HMP Frankland, he was attacked in March 2010 and slashed across the throat by a prisoner reportedly armed with a razor blade.
