Man charged with Ian Huntley murder after prison attack at HMP Frankland

A man has been charged with the murder of Ian Huntley after the Soham child killer died from his injuries following a prison attack at HMP Frankland in Durham last month. Durham Constabulary said Anthony Russell, an inmate at the prison, will appear before magistrates on Wednesday via videolink.

Huntley, who murdered friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, died in hospital on Saturday after he was attacked with a metal pole in a prison workshop on February 26. The attack left Huntley on life support in hospital before he died on Saturday. The former school caretaker was serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “A man has been charged with murder following an incident at HMP Frankland in Durham.

“Emergency services were called to reports of an assault in the workshop on the morning of Thursday, February 26.

“Ian Huntley, 52, was taken to hospital with serious injuries but died on the morning of Saturday, March 7.

“Anthony Russell, 43, of HMP Frankland, has been charged with murder and will appear via video link at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 11.”

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Christopher Atkinson of the CPS said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Anthony Russell with murder following a police investigation into a fatal attack on Ian Huntley at HMP Frankland.

“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

“We have worked closely with Durham Constabulary as they carried out their investigation.”