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Ian Huntley's daughter shares bombshell message as Soham murderer fights for life after prison attack
The daughter of Soham murderer Ian Huntley has broken her silence after learning her father was brutally attacked behind bars.
Samantha Bryan, 27, did not mince her words as news emerged that the disgraced former school caretaker had been struck with a “spiked metal pole” inside HMP Frankland in County Durham.
Huntley, 52, is serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
Now fighting for his life in hospital, Huntley has reportedly suffered severe head injuries in what is said to be the third time he has been assaulted in prison.
But for his only child, the news of the attack sparked emotions that many would find shocking.
Samantha Bryan says she felt ‘relief’ at news of prison attack
Bryan told The Sun on Sunday that hearing about the violent incident initially left her believing her father had died. Rather than devastation, she described a different reaction.
"I started crying because I thought he was dead — it was an overwhelming sense of relief, being his daughter has been a heavy burden," she explained.
"It felt like I could breathe again. I felt if he died, that burden died with him.”
Bryan also made her feelings about Huntley’s crimes abundantly clear, saying: "There’s a special place in hell waiting for him."
She revealed that her mother, Katie Bryan, had called her with the news of the assault. Bryan said she became “very emotional” and admitted she had hoped the attacker had succeeded.
Her mother, Katie, 45, shared similar sentiments. “I think he got what he deserves. I hope he burns in hell, I’d like to shake the hand of the man who did it.”
Ian Huntley reportedly left with catastrophic head injuries
Huntley is currently in hospital in a serious condition after suffering significant head trauma. He was reportedly found lying in a pool of blood after being repeatedly struck with a metal pole while working in a prison workshop.
According to reports, the alleged attacker celebrated immediately after the assault, shouting that they had “done it” as other inmates cheered.
The Daily Mail reports the attacker yelled: “I’ve done it, I’ve done it. I’ve killed him, I’ve killed him," before being led away in handcuffs, leaving Huntley “ripped apart like a rat”.
A source claimed: “Huntley was working in waste management with other prisoners from Wing A, the segregated wing for prisoners who can't be in the normal jail population for their own protection.
“The other prisoner got a metal bar from the waste metal crates and smashed Huntley three times in the head with it. It was a very, very serious injury, having been struck on the skull like that.”
Another source told The Sun that Huntley’s head was “in two” following the incident, adding: “There is not much coming back from that."
"He was bashed to bits and was not breathing,” they added.
Durham Constabulary confirmed the severity of the situation.
A spokesperson said: "The 52-year-old prisoner who was injured during this morning’s assault in the workshop at HMP Frankland remains in a serious condition in hospital following treatment for head injuries.
"Police forensic teams have examined the scene of the attack throughout the day to gather evidence.
"A suspect, a male prisoner in his mid-40s, has been identified by officers investigating the incident.
"He has not been arrested at this stage but remains in detention within the prison."
The Soham murders that shocked the nation
Huntley is serving a life sentence for the murders of best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002. The two 10-year-olds had gone out together to buy sweets when Huntley lured them into his home.
He later killed the girls and dumped their bodies in a ditch in Lakenheath, Suffolk. He then joined the desperate search effort alongside family and friends and even spoke to the media as the investigation unfolded.
This is not the first time Huntley has been targeted behind bars. In 2005, another inmate threw boiling water over him. In 2010, his throat was slashed in a separate attack.