Notorious child killer Ian Huntley dead after prison attack in UK
A former school caretaker who killed two young girls in theUK has died after being attacked in prison.
Ian Huntley, who was serving a life sentence for killing Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, had his life support switched off after being hit over the head repeatedly with a metal bar at Frankland Prison in north-east England.
His death was announced in a short statement by the Durham Constabulary.
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Holly Wells, left, and Jessica Chapman, were missing for two weeks before their bodies were discovered. Supplied
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"Ian Huntley, 52, was taken to hospital with serious injuries following an incident in the workshop on the morning of Thursday, February 26," the statement said.
"A police investigation into the circumstances into the incident is ongoing."
Huntley was convicted of the murders in 2003, which attracted worldwide attention.
Wells and Chapman had been missing for nearly two weeks after they left a barbecue to buy sweets in Soham, Cambridgeshire on August 4, 2002.
The case captivated the country, with a photo of the two girls wearing matching Manchester United soccer shirts being widely circulated in newspapers and in television news bulletins.
Their bodies were found when a group of hikers discovered the girls' remains beside a dirt path in a wooded area a few miles from the village.
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Multiple attempts were made on Huntley's life during his time in prison. AP
Huntley denied murdering the two girls, and even spoke often to reporters during the search.
His partner, Maxine Carr was a teaching assistant at the girls' school, and was convicted of giving Huntley a false alibi.
She was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for perverting the course of justice. She now lives under a new identity.
Multiple attempts were made on Huntley's life while he was imprisoned, and he was kept under close protection along with other notorious killers.
In one incident in 2010, his throat was slashed by another inmate.
British media have reported that murderer and rapist Anthony Russell, 43, was responsible for the attack that ultimately led to Huntley's death.
No charges have been laid.
Reported with Associated Press
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