Anthony Russell appeared in court yesterday (March 11) after being charged with the murder of Ian Huntley at HMP Frankland.

The Soham murderer died in hospital on Saturday 7 March after an attack in prison the week before.

Serving prison Russell has been charged with murder, Durham Constabulary confirmed.

He appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on Wednesday via a videolink. He only spoke to confirm his name and that he understood when his next hearing will be.

He will appear at Newcastle Crown Court today (March 12)

Former school caretaker Huntley - who murdered two 10-year old schoolgirls in Soham - was reportedly attacked on Thursday 26 February with a makeshift weapon, and had his life support turned off in hospital on Friday.

Huntley was sentenced to 40 years behind bars for murdering schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Cambridgeshire in 2002.

Huntley was reportedly discovered lying in a pool of blood after the attack in the workshop. 

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He has been attacked in prison multiple times before.

In 2002 he killed two 10-year-old girls after luring the girls back to his home and leaving their bodies in a ditch in Suffolk.