The Soham murderer died on Saturday (March 7), ten days after he was bludgeoned in the head with a metal bar in a prison recycling workshop. 

The 52-year-old, who murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, was left fighting for his life in hospital following the attack on February 26. 

Now, following his death, a prison officer who worked on Monster Mansion’s “beastly” A-wing with Huntley for several years has spoken out about what will happen next.

The source, who has since moved to another North East prison, said Huntley’s cell will be locked shut – and that HMP Frankland will likely hold a memorial service in its chapel. 

Ian Huntley (Image: PA)

“Whenever there is a major incident the security governor comes in and puts a padlock on the door. The cell becomes a no entry zone”, he told The Northern Echo. 

“No one can go in that cell, that is pretty standard for a category A prisoner.

“They will go through the empty cell and tag everything. You get clear bags which are then sent to the relatives of the prisoner, they get asked if they want his belongings.” 

Killer’s cell ’emptied and memorial service held’

The prison officer said Huntley’s “tiny” cell will now be cleared- and he expects officers from Scotland Yard to come down and carry this out. 

He said: “When [Yorkshire Ripper] Peter Sutcliffe died, Scotland Yarm came to empty the cell. I can guarantee the same will happen here. The big wigs will come from London.

“Huntley did not have a lot in his cell.

“Prisoners are allowed two prop boxes, they are like a plastic tub that is 24 inches long, 12 inches wide, and ten inches high.

“Whatever their belongings are, they have to fit into the boxes.

“He didn’t have books, he had magazines. He did have matchstick models – every night they are allowed a hobby box and they will make things out of matchsticks and PVA glue. 

HMP Frankland (Image: Stuart Boulton)

“He would mainly draw. He fancied himself as a bit of an artist.” 

The officer described Huntley’s cell as around eight foot by four foot with magnolia cream walls, a blue mattress, green bedding, and a painted cork noticeboard. 

“He didn’t get a lot of cards and letters, not compared to Levi Bellfield,” he said. 

“He used to have packets of noodles, he would have them stacked up on his shelf.”

The officer said that the County Durham prison will now even hold a memorial service for the killer, something he branded as “sick”. 

He said: “There will be a service in the prison. There is a chapel in the prison and they will put an invitation out to everyone in his wing. 

“There will be a memorial service, not everyone has to go but they will.”

Probe remains ongoing

Durham Police has confirmed that an investigation into the circumstances of the incident remains ongoing and a file is being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service. 

Huntley (Image: PA)

While police are yet to confirm the suspect, murderer and rapist Anthony Russell, 43, reportedly shouted “I’ve done it” after Huntley was attacked.

Huntley spent around ten days in hospital but his life support machine was switched off on Friday afternoon after brain tests showed he was in a vegetative state, The Sun reported. 

The killer was in prison for the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who vanished after leaving a family barbecue to buy sweets in Soham on August 4, 2002.

He lured the girls to his home before killing them and dumping their bodies in a ditch. They were found more than a week later, 12 miles from their home town.

Huntley murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham in 2002 (Image: ARCHIVE)

Huntley’s daughter told The Sun on Sunday that she was “relieved” – and said they should “flush his ashes down the toilet”.

This wasn’t the first time that Huntley, who had been held at HMP Frankland for around 20 years, had been attacked while behind bars. 

In 2010, robber Damien Fowkes slashed Huntley with a home-made weapon, leaving a 7in (18cm) “severe, gaping cut” to the left side of his neck that required 21 stitches.

Fowkes later asked a prison officer: “Is he dead? I hope so,” and described Huntley as a “notorious child killer, both inside prison and in society in general”.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman remains one of the most shocking and devastating cases in our nation’s history, and our thoughts are with their families.”