Soham murderer Ian Huntley was rushed to hospital last Thursday after being attacked in prison
01:26, 06 Mar 2026Updated 07:31, 06 Mar 2026
Child killer Ian Huntley was jailed in 2003 for murder – but he said to have a long history of targeting girls(Image: Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)
Soham murderer Ian Huntley has reportedly been declared blind following an attack in prison.
Huntley, 52, was urgently taken to hospital last Thursday after the assault at HMP Frankland in County Durham. Insiders described how medical staff “worked miracles” to save him, and how prison personnel initially believed he was dead when they discovered him in a pool of blood.
Earlier this week, the Mirror disclosed that Huntley will not be returned to the prison known as Monster Mansion if he recovers. His injuries are so severe that he will instead be transferred to Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside.
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Reports suggest that Huntley was given just a 5% chance of survival after being hit multiple times and left with serious head injuries. Emergency services rushed to the Category A prison around 9am on February 26.
The Sun now reports that Huntley has been declared blind after being hit in the eyes. It is claimed that he is not expected to regain consciousness, reports the Mirror.
(Image: PA)
A source informed the outlet: “It is now looking like he will not pull through, barring a miracle. Huntley never recovered from the battering and never stood much of a chance of doing so.
“His condition has not really improved since day one despite the best efforts of doctors. It looks like it’s only a matter of time. It could be days, it could be weeks. It is probably for the best. Few people will shed a tear.”
In a statement on his condition today, a representative for Durham Constabulary said: “There has been no change in the 52-year-old man’s condition overnight – he remains in hospital in a serious condition.”
Following the brutal attack on him last Thursday, the double murderer was swiftly taken to hospital in an ambulance, with armed police forming a convoy in front and behind. Two prison guards and an armed officer were present inside the ambulance during the high-security operation.
An insider revealed: “He was placed in an induced coma because he was so close to death. The team from the helicopter travelled with him but he could not be evacuated by air in case of any complications. He was transported by road because he was in a coma; this helps to keep him stable.
“The helicopter then travels to the hospital to collect the medics. Two armed officers are guarding Huntley around the clock at the hospital.”
Huntley is serving a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002. He will not be eligible for parole until at least 2042.