Ian Huntley, the notorious convict responsible for the Soham double murder, sustained severe injuries in an attack at HMP Frankland, known as the “Monster Mansion” prison. Huntley, 52, serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, was assaulted in the prison workshop this morning. He was taken to the hospital by road after the incident, which occurred before 9:30 am.

Durham Constabulary initiated an investigation at HMP Frankland, housing a significant number of infamous inmates, including terrorists, mass murderers, serial rapists, and the individual who killed MP Jo Cox. The recent assault on Huntley adds to the prison’s notoriety, following a court case where Damien Bendall, already serving a whole-life sentence for murdering his family, attacked another prisoner, Michael Mullaney, with a hammer in 2024. Bendall was further sentenced for the assault, resembling the weapon he used in the earlier murders.

Frankland, operational for over 40 years and accommodating more than 800 inmates, features a specialized unit for extremist prisoners convicted of terrorism or national security offenses. Among its inmates is Michael Adebolajo, involved in the 2013 murder of British soldier Lee Rigby. Another infamous prisoner at Frankland is Charles Bronson, known for his violent past and multiple sentences across various UK prisons.

Hashem Abedi, involved in the 2017 Manchester Arena Bombing, received a lengthy sentence at Frankland for his role in the tragedy. The prison also housed Peter Sutcliffe, the ‘Yorkshire Ripper,’ Colin Pitchfork, Daniel Khalife, and Levi Bellfield, all serving time for heinous crimes. Thomas Mair, convicted of killing MP Jo Cox, was transferred to Frankland after his trial, where he expressed being held in segregation for safety reasons.