Both the Humberside and Cambridgeshire Police were heavily criticised for their failings in maintaining criminal intelligence records on Huntley. The victim of this assault later said that Huntley had not been the perpetrator of her assault. Sign up for Bustle UK's twice-weekly newsletter, featuring the latest must-watch TV, moving personal stories, and expert advice on the hottest viral buys. [160], Huntley was a timid child, and something of a mother's boy. [235], Immediately after Huntley's conviction, previous criminal allegations against him were made public. Soham is a small town and civil parish located in the east of the university city Cambridge, in the United Kingdom. 2002 double homicide in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England, Chapman (left) and Wells (right), summer 2002, 20 August 2002 booking photograph of Carr. It was one, almost two years before we found each other again, he continued, but grief gives you a different sense of the passage of time and it slipped by unnoticed. As Kevin says in the ITV documentary, he and Nicola were determined to be among the 5 per cent of couples who stay together following the bereavement of a murdered child. On August 17 2002, residents flocked to St Andrew's church to await . [151][153], Carr pleaded guilty to the charge of perverting the course of justice, and not guilty to the charge of assisting an offender. Via his father, Huntley learned of a school caretaker vacancy in nearby Soham Village College in mid-2001. However, they did break their silence on the first anniversary of the Police National Database launch. Huntley denies murdering the two girls and Carr, a former classroom assistant at . Carr was charged with two counts of assisting an offender and one count of perverting the course of justice. As a result, he began rebuffing any offers to socialise with colleagues for fear of being attacked while alone in their company. The family regularly experienced financial difficulties, but Shirley would later state she "spoiled" her daughters to the best of her financial ability. Investigators believe that prior to his 2002 arrest, Huntley had engaged in illegal sexual activity with up to 60 underage girls. "[109] According to Carr, Huntley then informed her the children had entered their home in order that Wells could stanch her nosebleed. Staff initially feared Huntley might die as a result of this overdose,[124] but he was returned to his prison cell within 48 hours. "[157], Huntley avoided eligibility for a whole life tariff as the passing of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 had been one day after his conviction; thus taking effect on 18 December 2003 and applying solely to murders committed on or after this date. Their disappearance attracted international media attention and precipitated the biggest ever manhunt in Britain. Huntley's mother's maiden name had been Nixon. Sharon and Leslie have kept their grief largely private. Two decades on, where are their parents now, and how have they moved on from the awful tragedy? Although Mr Huntley made clear attempts to appear insane, I have no doubt that the man currently, and at the time of the murders, was both physically and mentally sound and therefore, if he is found guilty, carried out the murders totally aware of his actions. [75], On 21 August, the bodies of both girls were identified via DNA testing. In August 2002, Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells attended a family barbecue at Holly's house and after the barbecue they left Holly's home at around 6.15pm to buy sweets from the vending machine at . Four minutes later, Carr sent Huntley a text message which read: "Don't make me feel bad because I'm with my family. The findings also suggested a national system should be implemented for police forces to share intelligence information, and that all police forces should follow a clear code of practice on record-keeping. Sophie Turners Joan Charts The Rise Of A Famous British Jewel Thief, 'Art Attack' Neil Buchanan's Latest Gig Is A Far Cry From The CITV Show, Stephen Fry Is Set To Host 'Jeopardy!s UK Comeback, The 'How I Met Your Mother' Cast Just Had A Legendary Reunion. [113] Carr was also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice on this date. [215] Following this attack, Huntley alleged that prison authorities had failed in their duty of care towards him, and launched a claim for 15,000 in compensation. [95] To one officer, he said: "You think I've done it? Episode 2 of Soham: The Murder of Holly & Jessica airs tonight (March 10) on Channel 5 at 9pm. They both lived in the village of Soham in Cambridgeshire, where they went to St Andrew's Primary School. [167], In June 1994, Huntley began dating 18-year-old Claire Evans, who he met through his employment at a local Heinz factory. [13], The precise events after the girls entered 5 College Close are unknown, but investigators believe sections of Huntley's later claims in initial interviews granted to the media prior to his arrest and his later trial testimonysuch as that he had been cleaning his dog at the time the girls passed by his house around 6:30p.m. and that one girl had been suffering from a nosebleedmay have been true. Byline: Eileen Taylor THEY seem almost like family now, blonde Holly Wells and brown-haired Jessica Chapman. Holly was buried yesterday after a service at St Andrew's Church in Soham, Cambridgeshire.Sep 4, 2002 The Soham murders were a double child murder committed in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England on 4 August 2002.The victims were two 10-year-old girls, Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Aimee Chapman, who were lured into the home of a local resident and school caretaker, Ian Kevin Huntley, who subsequently murdered the childrenlikely via asphyxiationbefore disposing of their bodies in an . [189], By the time Capp entered adolescence, she was slightly overweight, leading her to become insecure about her physical appearance. The person responsible for this abduction and assault was also believed to have followed a 12-year-old girl in the same area, although in this instance, his car had been fitted with number plates which had been stolen in Nottinghamshire. None were alive when Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman died on this day 20 years ago . The victims were two 10-year-old girls, Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Aimee Chapman, who were lured into the home of a local resident and school caretaker, Ian Kevin Huntley, who subsequently murdered the children, before disposing of . Sharon worked at St Andrews primary school in Soham. [187], The marriage between Capp's parents was marred by frequent arguments. August 4th, 2002: Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, wearing red Manchester United shirts, go missing from their homes in Soham, Cambridgeshire, eastern England, after last being seen at a family . Referencing Carr's conscious efforts to deceive the police and media alike, Latham stated: "She had the prospect of marriage, a baby, a nice home and a new start. "[17] Huntley did not reply to this message. [5][6], At 11:45a.m. on Sunday, 4 August 2002, Jessica Chapman left her home in Brook Street, Soham, to attend a barbecue at the home of her best friend, Holly Wells, in nearby Redhouse Gardens. Each provided witness statements before being placed in a safe house in the village of Histon. I hope the next time I see him, it will be like we saw our daughtersand it will be in a coffin. [170], In March 1996, Huntley was charged with burglary. Holly and Jessica's families still live in Soham. Both services were held at St Andrew's parish church and officiated by Tim Alban Jones, and the girls were buried in adjacent graves in Soham's Fordham Road Cemetery, following ceremonies attended by only family and close friends. More than 400 officers worked around the clock to find the girls, along with hundreds of locals who volunteered to help and appealed to . [170] Within four weeks of their acquaintance,[199] she had moved into Huntley's Barton-upon-Humber flat, and the couple informed relatives of their eagerness to start a family. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Episode 2. It was the 4th of August 2002. Two girls go missing in August of 2002, leaving their community reeling. Both were arrested on suspicion of abduction and murder at 4:30a.m. on 17 August. Huntley's parents had separated in 1993. [153] The results of this inquiry were published that June.[237]. Speaking 10 years after Ian Huntley murdered Holly and her friend Jessica Chapman, both 10, Nicola said: "We felt we were still young enough to raise another child. [14], At the urging of his father, Huntley joined the Air Training Corps at age 13. Jessicas parents are Sharon and Leslie Chapman. Browse the directory of real estate professionals at realtor.com. The harrowing story documenting the murder of childhood friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5. At age 10, Wells and Chapman went missing from the Wells home on August 4, 2002, and were found dead on August 17, 2002, after going missing for almost two weeks. While returning to 4 Redhouse Gardens,[11] Wells and Chapman walked past the College Close home of Ian Huntley, the senior caretaker at the local secondary school. "[67] Lawrence immediately reported the discoveries to police. For the first five months after Holly died we broke down together, but after that we processed our grief at different speeds, Kevin told the Evening Standard. [69], Carr was also interviewed by the press during the second week of the search for the children. [14], Huntley's motive for killing the children is unknown; minutes prior to encountering Wells and Chapman, he is known to have had an argument with Carr, ending in his slamming the phone down. [46] Police also received statements regarding a suspicious white van that had been seen in Soham on the evening of the children's disappearance. He also ran the London Marathon for the charity in 2012. School caretaker Ian Huntley is currently serving a prison sentence for the young girls' murder. "[90], Discussing the personalities of the girls, Carr described Wells as being the "more feminine" of the two, adding that Chapman was "more of a tomboy"[91] and that on one occasion, she had jokingly remarked to Chapman how, unlike many of her friends, she seldom wore a skirt. [238] Further criticism was directed at the force for their initial failure to scrutinise Carr's claims to have been in Soham on the date of the children's disappearance. "[21], Concluding his questioning, Hubbard cautioned the jury not to succumb to the temptation of judging Carr's morality, but to consider her state of mind prior to her arrest when considering whether the lies she had told warranted any criminal liability, stating she had "done no wrong" on the date of the children's murder, and had not returned to Soham until 6 August. [49], One person who claimed to have spoken with the girls immediately before their disappearance was 28-year-old Huntley, who informed investigators on 5 August he had had a brief conversation with both girls on his doorstep the previous afternoon. Responding to questioning by his defence counsel, Stephen Coward QC,[137] Huntley admitted both girls had died in his house but denied that either death had been intentional. Its strange being three of us when there used to be a fourth.. He also told Good Morning Britain in 2015: We still think of Holly every day. On August 4, 2002, Huntley murdered Wells and Chapman . Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10, were killed by Huntley after they went missing following a BBQ in Soham, Cambridgeshire, on 4 August 2002. "[4], Prior to murdering Wells and Chapman, Huntley had established an extensive record of consensual and unconsensual sexual activity with femalesmany of whom had been under the age of consent. Leslie, meanwhile, was due to start work at a new engineering job on Monday August 5 the day after his daughter and her friend went missing. 10 year old Jessica Chapman called over to see her friend Holly Wells. [82], In his opening statement on behalf of the Crown, prosecutor Richard Latham QC described the last day of the friends' lives and how, by "pure chance", they had happened to pass by Huntley's home at a time when Carr was not present. Jessica was a schoolgirl. A new Channel 5 documentary Soham: The Murder of Holly & Jessica dives into what happened immediately after their parents declared them missing, and how they achieved justice when Huntley was sentenced to two life sentences. [226] She was given a secret identity to protect her from threats of attack from vengeful members of the public[227] in addition to being provided with a new home in an undisclosed location. Three of them were aged 15, and one 13. While townsfolk are determined to remember Holly and Jessica, acts of remembrance in Soham are expected to be low-profile. It was not until 8 p.m. that Holly's parents found out she was missing. Huntley would later inform investigators he had taped bin liners around his feet prior to carrying the children's bodies from his vehicle to the irrigation ditch. [39][n 3] The community held a candlelight vigil on 7 August. She preferred to do what she could to make the best of the position she was in. Huntley, 30, who is serving life for the double child killings of Holly . Both were questioned for approximately seven hours. Kevin and Nichola Wells and Les and Sharon Chapman , parents of murdered Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman arrive for the first day. Thank you! We hope [the databases] use will mean other families dont suffer the same loss and heartbreak as we did, they said per the Evening Standard. [166] He also viewed himself as something of a ladies' man, and was scrupulous about his personal appearance and personal hygiene. [105] Investigators had stated on 7 August they strongly believed the children had been abducted,[39] and announced their strong suspicions that both girls had been murdered on this date. Investigators were able to obtain extensive footage of the children's movements following their departure from the Wells household. By John McGurk. The best friends, who were both just ten years old, were attending a barbeque . [186], As a child and adolescent, Capp was viewed by her peers as a timid outcast, with few friends. He admitted engaging in sex with the claimant, but claimed the act had been consensual. He further elaborated that a deciding factor to dispose of the bodies in this particular location had been that RAF Lakenheath was just two miles from the home of his disabled grandmother, and that if eyewitnesses spotted his vehicle, he could falsely claim his purpose for being in this vicinity had been his decision to visit his grandmother. The injuries Huntley received in this attack required hospital treatment. [156] In setting this minimum term of imprisonment, Mr Justice Moses stated: "The order I make offers little or no hope of the defendant's eventual release. [9], Following several weeks of mistreatment, Huntley's wife announced her intention to leave him. FRIENDS Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went missing in August 2002 and their bodies were not found until more than a week later. Includes summary of election income, expenditures and surplus campaign funds. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went missing from their small Cambridgeshire town on a sunny evening in August 2002. [171] This complainant stated Huntley had threatened to kill her before assaulting her. 17 December 2003[151], Following the conclusion of both counsels' closing arguments, Mr Justice Moses announced the jury would begin their deliberations on 12 December. [174] Furthermore, both Huntley and Carr are known to have conducted affairs throughout their relationship. Or if somebody's got them, just let them go. Huntley saw the girls and lured them back to his house on the pretence that their teaching assistant Maxine Carr, his girlfriend was also at the house. [55], After being informed of the discovery of the children's bodies and the evidence of Huntley's guilt, including his fingerprints being recovered from the bin in which the children's clothes had been found, Carr burst into tears, shouting: "No! They went missing on Sunday 4 August 2002, when they were both 10 years old. Nicola and Kevin Wells are the parents of Holly, who was murdered along with her best friend on August 4 2002. Chapman was described as being tanned, with shoulder-length, brown hair; Wells was described as being fair, with blonde hair. They briefly moved out of the family home where she spent her last day, though. Locals would rally around the families of the girls and dedicate hours of their time searching for them . Maxine Carr is found not guilty of helping Ian Huntley in relation to the deaths of the girls but guilty of lying to the police about what happened. [231][232][233][234], Shortly after her release from prison, Carr and her family contacted a Tyneside-based publishing company with view to publishing her autobiography. I was the last person to see them!" "[69][n 8], By the second week of the children's disappearance, Huntley had begun to lose weight and was displaying visible symptoms of insomnia. A scenes of crime officer also testified that, despite Huntley's exhaustive efforts to remove physical evidence of his crime from his home, a forensic examination had revealed several traces of blood spattering about the hallway and main entrance to the master bedroom. Messages and flowers in remembrance of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells lie on the ground August 18, 2002 outside St Andrew's Church in Soham,. [96], When questioned about his failure to call emergency services and subsequent, extensive efforts to destroy evidence and divert suspicion from himself, Huntley insisted he had first become preoccupied with whether the police and public would believe the girls' deaths had been accidental, and he had decided to conceal all evidence of the deaths as opposed to either notifying police or paramedics. Runtime: 92 minutes. To these questions, Carr explained that her first impression had been that Huntley had "had a woman in the house", adding their bedding had been washed shortly before 4 August. [24] Weeping, Huntley admitted responsibility for both deaths, but repeated his insistence that both deaths had been accidental. The Soham murders were a double child murder committed in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England on 4 August 2002. These disclosures revealed that not only had police failed to pursue numerous previous criminal complaints of sexual offences against underage girls and young women by Huntley, but he had then secured a job in Soham allowing him access to children. Huntley had never been convicted of any of these criminal allegations; his burglary charge had remained on file. For the first five months after Holly died we broke down together, but after that we processed our grief at different speeds. [192][195][n 14], While Capp resided with her mother in Grimsby, she unofficially adopted the surname Benson. Shortly thereafter, she and her daughters moved to the village of Keelby. [152] On 17 December 2003, they returned a majority verdict of guilty on two counts of murder against Huntley. In 1996, two boys of similar age, Patrick Warren and David Spencer, went missing from their homes. He eventually started his new job months later. Then we could have stopped them, or done something about it. [82], In a reference to Huntley's claims both girls' deaths had been accidental, Latham stated that "only one person knows what happened" after the friends entered his home. The injuries Huntley received in this attack resulted in his being unable to attend the hearing at which his minimum term of imprisonment was decided. Carr only replied to his missed call at 6:23p.m. There is no greater task for the criminal justice system than to protect the vulnerable. "[79], An online book of condolence attracted more than 31,000 messages of grief and sympathy[80] and on 24 August, football clubs across Britain held a minute's silence before games. [184], According to one columnist, the fact that Huntley had remained unpunished for these often blatant and continuous acts had increased his confidence and reinforced his domineering, misogynistic mindset and fuelling his recidivism. Kevin and Nicola never sold the property, though, and plan on moving back. Holly Wells was a British murder victim from Soham, Cambridgeshire. Best friends Holly and Jessica were just 10 years . [69] Huntley had allegedly suspected Carr of conducting affairs throughout their relationship, leading his mother and some police officers to suspect he had killed the two girls in a fit of jealous rage. [138] The bath was already filled with water as he had been cleaning his dog that afternoon. [125][126][6], At a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on 16 June 2003, Huntley pleaded not guilty to the charges of murdering Wells and Chapman, and guilty to the charge both stood accused of: conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. [236], Upon learning of these public disclosures, Home Secretary David Blunkett announced a public inquiry into the intelligence-based record keeping and vetting system which had allowed Huntley to obtain employment as a school caretaker despite these previous criminal complaints, which had been reported to police and social services. There's two little Beckhams over there. . The murder took its toll on their marriage for a while, the pair have admitted. Miss ya! It can't have been! [76] The Reverend Tim Alban Jones officiated at this service, saying: "Would not the best and most lasting memorial to these two lovely young girls be a change for the better in how we behave towards each other? [50], In July 1998, police were notified that Huntley had sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl in September 1997, having also threatened to kill the child if she informed her mother. [143], Carr said she had tried to persuade Huntley to contact police and "be open" about his claims to have invited the children into his home for Wells to stanch her nosebleed, but that he had refused to do so, as inviting children into their home had been a violation of the rules imposed by St Andrew's Primary School. Holly and Jessica both lived close to each other in the Cambridgeshire town of Soham in the United Kingdom and . The Bichard Inquiry Report of 2004 was commissioned by the government following the conviction of Ian Huntley for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2003. [241], The Bichard inquiry recommended a mandatory registration scheme for people working with children and vulnerable adults such as the elderly and mentally handicapped. It is believed that Cambridgeshire Police failed to perform a background check under the name Huntley. A documentary about Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr will air on Channel 5 on 9 and 10 March 2022 at . The inquiry scrutinised the investigation by Cambridgeshire Police into the children's disappearance and murder, as almost two weeks had elapsed following the disappearance of Wells and Chapman before Cambridgeshire Police became aware of Huntley's previous criminal background, despite his claims to be the last person to see the children alive. Produced In Association With Silver Screen Partners III and MTM Enterprises, Inc. "The Roger Rabbit's Little OddParents". Section of Mr Justice Alan Moses' sentencing of Ian Huntley. "[155], On 29 September 2005 High Court judge Mr Justice Moses announced that Huntley must remain in prison until he had served a minimum of 40 years' imprisonment; a term which would not allow parole eligibility until 2042, by which time he would be 68 years old. The girls were big David Beckham fans and were wearing matching red Manchester United tops with his name on when . [60], Ian Huntley, interviewed by Sky News correspondent Jeremy Thompson. [42], Shortly after the children's disappearance, Staffordshire Police contacted the investigating officers to report their suspicions the girls could have been abducted by the same man responsible for an abduction in their jurisdiction the previous year, in which a six-year-old girl had survived an indecent assault by an abductor who was still at large and whose green Ford Mondeo had number plates which had earlier been stolen in Peterborough. Huntley admitted having sex with this woman, but insisted the act had been consensual. On 4th August 2002, 10-year-old school friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were enjoying a . [218][219][220], On 5 September 2006, Huntley attempted to kill himself by taking an overdose of antidepressants he had accumulated in his prison cell. [72][n 6], Despite this, investigators rapidly deduced who the two victims most likely were, and that they had not died at the location of their discovery. That involved at all costs protecting Ian Huntley. Rating: PG. [98], The same evening, police conducted a thorough search of both 5 College Close and the grounds of Soham Village College where Huntley worked as a senior caretaker[100] as the couple remained under police watch at separate locations outside Soham. Clark concluded in October that, although psychopathic,[120] Huntley did not suffer from any major mental or psychotic illness. This was supported by the headteacher of St Andrew's Primary School, who told reporters: "The possible danger from strangers is something we have impressed upon [the children] from an early age. [179] At the September 2005 hearing in which the minimum term Huntley should serve before any parole eligibility was decided, Mr Justice Moses stated: "There is a likelihood of [a] sexual motivation, but there was no evidence of sexual activity, and it remains no more than a likelihood. Heartbreak of Ian Huntleys daughter as father shows no remorse for Holly and Jessicas murder, Ian Huntleys jail term run-in with Yorkshire Ripper, suicide attempts and a near-fatal stabbing, Peter Andre issues strict rule for daughter Princess as she lands massive modeling contract, Eamonn Holmes fans baffled over his unrecognisable appearance in new photo as they make plea. [202] Noting how Carr often became flirtatious when she consumed alcohol, Huntley sought to minimise any opportunity for her to drink or otherwise socialise outside his presence for fear of her cheating on him with other males. It was one, almost two years before we found each other again, but grief gives you a different sense of the passage of time and it slipped by unnoticed.. [6] He stressed that the cause of death was murder, adding: "Ten-year-old girls don't just drop dead. THE community of Soham was left heartbroken when the bodies of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells were discovered in 2002. A taxi driver stated he had seen him "thrashing his arms" as he struggled with two young girls inside his vehicle as he drove on the A142 south of Soham towards Newmarket around the time that the girls were last seen. [121][122] On 8 October, Huntley was deemed mentally competent to stand trial.[122]. Kevin, who runs his own window cleaning business, is also the founding patron of the charity Grief Encounter. The brutal murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman shocked the entire country. Ian Huntley worked as a caretaker at the school both girls attended. Had they done so, they would have discovered an outstanding burglary charge on file relating to his November 1995 arrest for this crime. [173] Rumours of Huntley's sexual interest in underage girls soon became community gossip, and he was regularly insulted by neighbours and colleagues. [110] She had therefore later agreed to concoct a false story with her partner to support his version of events. Lyrics by: Alan Menken. Your tears have never been for them; only for yourself. The court also heard the reading of statements from the families of the Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who Mr Huntley is accused of murdering. "[82] In reference to Carr's attempts to pervert the course of justice, Latham stated that "as surely as night follows day" the two had conspired to concoct a false alibi to divert suspicion from Huntley,[82] but warned the jury Carr could only be convicted of assisting an offender if they believed she had known Huntley had murdered the girls, adding that her motive for providing lies to police with reference to the charge of perverting the course of justice was irrelevant. Half burned remains of clothes were found in a garbage bin The Way out Evidence found the girls' partially burned bodies in a six-foot-deep ditch found a type of weed that only grows after a plants have been disturbed Pollen samples were taken from where the girls bodies were EVA REISTAD. Watch on . DESCRIPTIONOn the 4th of August 2002, best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman disappeared from the small town of Sohom in England.One of England's bigge. On hearing this, Carr slumped forward. In particular to assess the effectiveness of the relevant intelligence-based record keeping, the vetting practices in those forces since 1995 and information sharing with other agencies, and to report to the Home Secretary on matters of local and national relevance and make recommendations as appropriate. [24] A cover from the rear seat was missing, and the lining of the boot had been recently removed and replaced with an ill-fitting section of household carpet. [23], While held on remand at Holloway Prison,[116] Carr regularly enquired as to Huntley's welfare,[117] and wrote several letters in which she professed her continued love for him.

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