Soham monster Ian Huntley has died in hospital after his head was “split in two” in a vicious prison attack.

The double child killer was left in a pool of blood after being battered unconscious with a spiked metal pole by a fellow inmate at HMP Frankland, Co Durham. His attacker allegedly hit him up to 15 times in the prison workshop shouting “I’ve done it, I’ve done it! I’ve killed him, I’ve killed him!” as other inmates watched on.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed he died at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary this morning after his life support machine was switched off on Friday.

A spokesperson added: “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.”

Double child killer Ian Huntley dies after prison attack(Image: Geoff Robinson/Shutterstock)

READ MORE: Chants erupt inside Monster Mansion as inmates celebrate Ian Huntley’s deathREAD MORE: Ian Huntley timeline: How police caught Britain’s most hated child killer

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “A man who was attacked at HMP Frankland in Durham last week has died in hospital this morning. Ian Huntley, 52, was taken to hospital with serious injuries following an incident in the workshop on the morning of Thursday, February 26.

“A police investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing. A file is being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration for charges.”

Jessica Chapman (L) and friend Holly Wells(Image: Shutterstock)

Huntley’s mother Lynda Richards, 71, was understood to have been at his bedside when medics withdrew the ventilator keeping him alive.

Medics battled to save Huntley but he had shown little sign of improvement after the attack which reportedly left him blind, with severe skull damage and a broken jaw.

His mum visited him in hospital days before he died, telling friends he was “unrecognisable” adding “part of me hopes he passes away this time”. She told how she knows “flags will fly high” if he dies but she is “still his mother”.

Former school caretaker Huntley killed 10-year-old pals Holly and Jessica in 2002 after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets in the sleepy village of Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Ian Huntley leaves hospital after failed suicide bid(Image: Daily Mirror)

He lured them into the home he shared with Maxine Carr – their teaching assistant – and later dumped their bodies in a ditch 10 miles away. After his evil crimes he faked concern, joined searches for the girls and even appeared on TV to talk about how he was the last person to see them before they disappeared.

The monster claimed Holly suffered a nose bleed and fell into a bath, banging her head and drowning. He said Jessica screamed so he put his hand over her mouth until she stopped.

He was convicted of their murders in 2003 and sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment.

Triple killer Anthony Russell

Huntley’s attacker is understood to be triple killer and rapist Anthony Russell, 43. Russell was sentenced to a whole-life tariff in 2021 for the murders of Julie Williams, 58, and her son David Williams, 32, at separate flats in Coventry, and pregnant 31-year-old Nicole McGregor, who was found in woodland near Leamington Spa three days later. He also raped Ms McGregor.

Huntley’s daughter Samantha Bryan, 27, has said there was a “special place in hell waiting for him”.

As her father lay in a coma Samantha – whose mum Katie, 45, was in an abusive relationship with Huntley – added: “I think he got what he deserves. I hope he burns in hell.”

Huntley’s vile crimes had led to fellow inmates attacking him behind bars at least twice before. In 2010 armed robber Damien Fowkes slashed his throat in Frankland and in 2005 killer Mark Hobson threw boiling water over him while he was locked up in Wakefield Prison.

A former prison officer, who guarded Huntley at Category A Frankland, said yesterday: “Everyone at Frankland will be celebrating his death. No-one will shed any tears.

“The staff hated him because of what he had done and the other prisoners also despised him because of his personality. He was so arrogant, he revelled in his notoriety.”

Maxine Carr gave Huntley false alibi(Image: Getty Images)

Huntley and Carr were arrested in August 2002 – 13 days after the girls went missing. He denied the murders and put the girls’ families through a harrowing six-week trial at the Old Bailey.

Huntley was transferred to Frankland – dubbed Monster Mansion – in 2008. The prison is home to the likes of Wayne Couzens, Levi Bellfield and Michael Adebolajo, one of two terrorists who killed British Army soldier Lee Rigby.

Carr, now 49, served 21 months for perverting justice after giving Huntley a false alibi. She now lives under a new identity.