News ReloadedThe Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has officially charged a serving prisoner with murder following the death of notorious child killer Ian Huntley.
Anthony Russell, 43, an inmate at HMP Frankland, is accused of carrying out the fatal assault in a prison workshop late last month. He is scheduled to appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court via video link on Wednesday 11th March.
The charges stem from an incident on the morning of Thursday, February 26, when emergency services were called to the high-security Durham prison. Huntley, 52, was reportedly struck multiple times over the head with a makeshift weapon described by some sources as a metal pole during a workshop assignment.
The attack left Huntley with severe brain trauma and, according to unconfirmed reports, permanent blindness. He remained on life support for over a week until doctors determined he was in a vegetative state. Following the removal of life support on Friday, he was confirmed dead on the morning of Saturday, March 7.
Christopher Atkinson, Head of the Complex Casework Unit for CPS North East, stated:
“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.”
Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution online, reminding social media users that criminal proceedings are now active and any commentary could prejudice the right to a fair trial.
Ian Huntley was serving a minimum 40-year life sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire. His death marks the end of a decades-long incarceration punctuated by multiple previous attempts on his life by fellow inmates.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that a routine investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will also be conducted, as is standard with any death in custody.
