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Trial date for inmate accused of Huntley murder

News imageElizabeth Cook/PA Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Anthony Russell.Elizabeth Cook/PA
Anthony Russell, 43, is charged with murder

A trial date has been set for a prison inmate accused of murdering Soham child-killer Ian Huntley.

Huntley, 52, died in hospital in March nine days after being attacked at HMP Frankland on the outskirts of Durham.

Anthony Russell, 44, appeared via video link at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, with the court hearing a trial date had been set for 23 November.

He is charged with murder but is yet to enter a plea.

Huntley, who was originally from Grimsby, had been serving a life sentence for the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham in 2002.

A previous preliminary inquest hearing heard he was "struck over the head multiple times" with a metal bar on 26 February and died at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary on 7 March from a "blunt head injury".

News imagePA Ian Huntley with short dark hair wearing a black collared shirt.PA
Ian Huntley had been serving a life sentence at HMP Frankland for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002

At the short hearing at Newcastle Crown Court before Mr Justice Hilliard, Russell spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and ask for clarification over his next court date.

A previous hearing at Teesside Crown Court heard the trial could last up to five days.

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