Menu
17/12/2003
Child killer Huntley handed down two life sentences
Ian Huntley has been handed down two life sentences for the murder of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
Maxine Carr, Huntley's former girlfriend, was sentenced to three and a half years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. She was found not guilty on two charges of assisting an offender.
Huntley found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey this morning after Mr Justice Alan Moses informed the jury a majority verdict would be acceptable.
The 12-member jury returned an 11-1 verdict of guilty to both charges of murder against Huntley who had denied murdering the 10-year-old girls at his home in Soham on August 4 last year. Huntley had previously admitted one charge of conspiracy to pervert the court of justice.
The jury returned an 11-1 majority verdict of guilty on the charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice against Carr.
Carr, 26, had admitted making misleading statements to police but only to protect her "very controlling" boyfriend. However, she denied helping her former boyfriend in the full knowledge that the deaths had occurred in the house they shared together.
Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, pupils at Soham Village College where Ian Huntley was employed as a janitor and Maxine Carr worked a teacher's assistant, went missing on August 4 year. Their bodies were found two weeks later in a ditch at Lakenheath, Suffolk, 13 miles away from the village.
Both the girls' bodies had been burned and were at an advanced state of decomposition when they were discovered.
The Wells family were reported to have hugged each other after the verdicts were delivered.
Twenty-nine-year-old Huntley had claimed that he was responsible for the manslaughter of Jessica Chapman, but that Holly Wells had accidentally drowned in the bathroom of the house he shared with Maxine Carr.
However, the court found that Huntley had murdered the girls and callously misled police as he went about destroying evidence that the girls had been inside his house. The motive for murders was most probably sexual, the court found.
(gmcg)
Maxine Carr, Huntley's former girlfriend, was sentenced to three and a half years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. She was found not guilty on two charges of assisting an offender.
Huntley found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey this morning after Mr Justice Alan Moses informed the jury a majority verdict would be acceptable.
The 12-member jury returned an 11-1 verdict of guilty to both charges of murder against Huntley who had denied murdering the 10-year-old girls at his home in Soham on August 4 last year. Huntley had previously admitted one charge of conspiracy to pervert the court of justice.
The jury returned an 11-1 majority verdict of guilty on the charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice against Carr.
Carr, 26, had admitted making misleading statements to police but only to protect her "very controlling" boyfriend. However, she denied helping her former boyfriend in the full knowledge that the deaths had occurred in the house they shared together.
Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, pupils at Soham Village College where Ian Huntley was employed as a janitor and Maxine Carr worked a teacher's assistant, went missing on August 4 year. Their bodies were found two weeks later in a ditch at Lakenheath, Suffolk, 13 miles away from the village.
Both the girls' bodies had been burned and were at an advanced state of decomposition when they were discovered.
The Wells family were reported to have hugged each other after the verdicts were delivered.
Twenty-nine-year-old Huntley had claimed that he was responsible for the manslaughter of Jessica Chapman, but that Holly Wells had accidentally drowned in the bathroom of the house he shared with Maxine Carr.
However, the court found that Huntley had murdered the girls and callously misled police as he went about destroying evidence that the girls had been inside his house. The motive for murders was most probably sexual, the court found.
(gmcg)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
02 December 2003
Soham murder accused admits killing Jessica Chapman
Ian Huntley, the man accused of murdering two 10-year-old schoolgirls in Soham last August, has today admitted that he was responsible for the death of Jessica Chapman. Mr Huntley, who denies murdering the girls, was in the witness box at the Old Bailey today to give evidence during the second day of the defence case.
Soham murder accused admits killing Jessica Chapman
Ian Huntley, the man accused of murdering two 10-year-old schoolgirls in Soham last August, has today admitted that he was responsible for the death of Jessica Chapman. Mr Huntley, who denies murdering the girls, was in the witness box at the Old Bailey today to give evidence during the second day of the defence case.
04 December 2003
Maxine Carr distances herself from Ian Huntley
During evidence to the Old Bailey today, Maxine Carr lashed out at her former boyfriend saying she would not take the blame for "what that thing in the box has done to me", referring to Ian Huntley. Ms Carr, 26, told the court that she had been forced to lie to police by her "very controlling" boyfriend.
Maxine Carr distances herself from Ian Huntley
During evidence to the Old Bailey today, Maxine Carr lashed out at her former boyfriend saying she would not take the blame for "what that thing in the box has done to me", referring to Ian Huntley. Ms Carr, 26, told the court that she had been forced to lie to police by her "very controlling" boyfriend.
29 September 2005
Huntley to serve 40 years
Double child murderer Ian Huntley is set to serve at least 40 years in jail. Sentencing Huntley today at the High Court, Mr Justice Moses said that Huntley's offences did not meet the criteria for a "whole-life" tariff, but he said that the 40-year tariff offered little or no hope of release.
Huntley to serve 40 years
Double child murderer Ian Huntley is set to serve at least 40 years in jail. Sentencing Huntley today at the High Court, Mr Justice Moses said that Huntley's offences did not meet the criteria for a "whole-life" tariff, but he said that the 40-year tariff offered little or no hope of release.
19 June 2003
Huntley report finds 'serious systems failures'
The report into Ian Huntley's "incident of self-harm" which left him in a coma has uncovered a number of "serious systems failures" within the Prison Service.
Huntley report finds 'serious systems failures'
The report into Ian Huntley's "incident of self-harm" which left him in a coma has uncovered a number of "serious systems failures" within the Prison Service.
26 November 2003
Huntley was charged with rape in 1998, court hears
Ian Huntley, the man accused of murdering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, had been charged with the rape a girl five years ago, the Old Bailey has been told today.
Huntley was charged with rape in 1998, court hears
Ian Huntley, the man accused of murdering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, had been charged with the rape a girl five years ago, the Old Bailey has been told today.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Dry with clear skies this evening. Patchy cloud will increase at times overnight, but some clear spells too. Light winds and some patchy shallow mist or fog towards dawn. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
