Police Charge Prisoner Over Murder of Ian Huntley

Police have charged a fellow inmate with the murder of convicted child killer Ian Huntley at HMP Frankland in County Durham.

“- Published A prison inmate has been charged with the murder of Soham killer Ian Huntley, police have said”

BBC

The Crown Prosecution Service said 43-year-old Anthony Russell will appear before magistrates after prosecutors concluded there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to bring the case, and Durham Constabulary worked with prosecutors on the investigation.

BBC

Durham Constabulary said it has charged 43-year-old inmate Anthony Russell with the murder of Ian Huntley.

Reports place the assault in a workshop at HMP Frankland on the morning of Thursday, 26 February.

Emergency services were called after Huntley was found lying in a pool of blood and reportedly bludgeoned with a makeshift weapon.

The Guardian

The Guardian reports Huntley suffered severe brain trauma in an attack that some accounts say involved a spiked metal pole.

BBC sources say he was taken to hospital with serious injuries and died nine days later.

The CPS confirmed it had decided there was sufficient evidence and public interest to bring the case.

“- Published A prison inmate has been charged with the murder of Soham killer Ian Huntley, police have said”

BBC

Police say Russell is due to appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court via video link on Wednesday.

National outlets have explicitly reported the involvement of both the CPS and Durham Constabulary in the charge and forthcoming magistrates' appearance.

Coverage noted that Huntley was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham.

The girls’ bodies were found about two weeks after their disappearance.

The Guardian

That conviction and sentence were central to why the case attracted national attention following the assault and subsequent charging of another inmate.