In what Huntley had believed would be his posthumous confession, he claims to have confessed to having murdered both girls to Carr prior to their arrest and his plans to confess to authorities, to which, Huntley alleged, Carr had slapped his face and informed him to "pull [himself] together" as she did not wish to lose the teaching position she had yearned for all her life. [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. Holly and Jessica's families still live in Soham. [239], The inquiry also severely criticised Humberside Police for deleting information relating to the previous criminal allegations against Huntley, and also criticised Cambridgeshire Police for not following standard vetting guidelines. Jessica and her friend Holly Marie Wells were both killed by Ian Huntly and his girlfriend Maxine Carr. The couple married at Grimsby Register Office on 28 January 1995. Get back in the van! [2], Huntley was convicted of the murder of both girls on 17 December 2003 and sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment, with the High Court later imposing a minimum term of 40 years. [192][195][n 14], While Capp resided with her mother in Grimsby, she unofficially adopted the surname Benson. Find Real Estate Agents and Brokers in Your Area - Realtor.com Following a heated argument in mid-1979, Shirley ordered her husband to leave the household. Is there a hostile relationship between Holly and Jessica's parents Thank you! 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 . [102][n 10], Having discovered the children's clothes at Soham Village College,[82] police decided to arrest Huntley and Carr. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman - Chilling Crimes [97] By this date, police had received information from several Grimsby residents who had recognised Huntley in the television interviews he had given, and recalled that he had been accused of rape several years earlier. These findings ultimately led to the tightening of various procedures within the Criminal Records Bureau system, including compulsory checks into potential criminal backgrounds of people who apply to work with children.[243]. [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. ", "Jessica and Holly Doted on Maxine Carr, Says Teacher", "Police Piece Together Last Sightings of Girls", "Poor Intelligence, Poor Data System and Poor Media Strategy: Police Own Up to Failures", "Huntley's Question to Police: 'Am I a Suspect? [221] This resulted in his hospitalisation and a thorough search of his cell, in which a cassette tape was recovered. [159] The Huntley family were working class and at the time of the birth of their first child, lodged with Lynda's parents in Grimsby. They then returned to playing in Wells' bedroom at about 6:10p.m.[6][8], Around 6:15p.m., the two girls left the Wells residence without informing any of the house guests, to purchase sweets from a vending machine at the local sports centre. [9] By 3:15p.m., both girls had changed into distinctive replica Manchester United football shirts, one of which belonged to Wells, and the other to her older brother, Oliver. Holly Wells parents say they wanted to adopt after Soham - mirror "[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. BBC NEWS | England | Key points: Day Six There is no greater task for the criminal justice system than to protect the vulnerable. Soham: The Murder of Holly and Jessica 1/2 - True Crime DocumentaryTwo girls go missing from a Cambridge town in August of 2002, leaving their community reel. Almost two weeks after Holly and Jessica went missing, their bodies were found - dumped in a ditch and badly burned. [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. Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, working for the . Episode 2 of Soham: The Murder of Holly & Jessica airs tonight (March 10) on Channel 5 at 9pm. 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. Four minutes later, Carr sent Huntley a text message which read: "Don't make me feel bad because I'm with my family. Ian Huntley's account of Holly drowning after falling into his bath . [203] He soon found new employment at a finance company in Binbrook while Carr maintained her employment packing fish at a local fish processing factory. RMG6JATP - The parents of murdered Soham schoolchildren Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, from left, Leslie and Sharon Chapman and Kevin and Nicola Wells, arrive at the Old Bailey in London, where the prosecution is expected to outline its case at the trial of Ian Huntley and his former girlfriend Maxine Carr. [138] The bath was already filled with water as he had been cleaning his dog that afternoon. Carr was sentenced to serve three-and-a-half years in prison for perverting the course of justice. [191], An orange-petalled rose, dedicated to the memory of Wells and Chapman, was unveiled by representatives of Soham Town Council at the 2003 Chelsea Flower Show. [212], At 9:53a.m. on 4 August, Huntley attempted to phone Carr, but she did not answer her mobile phone. 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. She further explained her focus had therefore been to protect Huntley's job and reputation, adding that had she known of Huntley's guilt, she would never have attempted to provide him with a false alibi, stating to her counsel: "If, for a minute, I [had known] or believed he'd murdered either of those girls I would have been horrified. Carr further testified to having noted a crack in the enamel of the bathtub which had not been there when she had travelled to Grimsby four days previously. To download all election summary data click here. [193], By the time Capp had obtained employment at Bluecrest, she had garnered sufficient courage to begin dating men, but none of these relationships lasted more than a few months. The victim of this assault later said that Huntley had not been the perpetrator of her assault. [145] She further claimed to have referred to Wells and Chapman using past tense merely because she had worked with the children in the past. She was jailed for giving Huntley a false alibi after he killed 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. [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. Wells and Chapman became two of the pupils she taught,[17] and both girls were fond of her. Investigators were able to obtain extensive footage of the children's movements following their departure from the Wells household. Chaired by Sir Michael Bichard, the Bichard inquiry opened on 13 January 2004. Jessica Wells Wiki, Murder, Biography, Age, Parents, Family & More. [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. I've just watched the programme. The two were best friends and had been spending time with each other for the past couple of days. In 2002, this quiet community would be rocked by the disappearance of two 10-year-old girls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. As well as Jessica, the Chapmans are also parents to daughters Rebecca and Alison. Ian was sentenced to life sentences. ", "Huntley Must Serve 40 Years at Least, Judge Rules", "Trail of Underage Sex and Violence that Led to Murders", "Rootless and Troubled Lives of Couple Suspected of Killing Holly and Jessica", "Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells: 18 Years on From The Soham Murders", "Ex-detective Says 'Unspectacular' Huntley Did Not Stand Out", "Former Neighbour Describes Huntley Paedophile Slurs and Former Girlfriend Reveals His Violent Behaviour", "He Charmed, Bullied and Lied His Way Through Life", "School Admits Huntley References Not Checked", "Maxine Carr is One More Huntley Victim: Why Do We Demonise Her? The couple relocated to East Anglia in early 2001. "[214], In the years since his incarceration, Huntley has been repeatedly attacked by other inmates. Lyrics by: Alan Menken. [6][7] Before leaving home, Chapman informed her parents of her intention to also give her friend a necklace engraved with the letter H she had purchased for her on a recent family holiday to Menorca. [73][77] Nine days later, a public memorial service was held at Ely Cathedral for both girls. [78] This service was attended by about 2,000 people, including the girls' classmates, teachers and the six family liaison officers who had provided 24-hour service for both families. HOLLY AND JESSICA | Holly and Jessica: timeline of events - BBC News After two months of courtship,[163] Huntley proposed to Evans. 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. In this instance, a woman was raped and Huntleyby this stage suspected by police as being a serial sex offenderwas interviewed. [119], To determine Huntley's state of mental health, he was detained under Section 48 of the Mental Health Act for almost two months at Rampton Secure Hospital. Huntley, 30, who is serving life for the double child killings of Holly . "[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. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by Arin Everett - Prezi Case 08: Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman - YouTube 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. [147], Referencing Huntley's likely motive for the murders and his claims at trial that both deaths had been accidental, Latham stated: "We invite you to reject the accounts of both deaths [being accidental] as desperate lies; the only way out for him. www.sec.gov A prisoner who is serving a life sentence for the notorious murders of British schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman is in hospital after having . This is also where Maxine Carr worked in Holly and Jessicas class. Holly and Jessica remembered. The stated purpose of the Bichard inquiry was: Urgently to enquire into child protection procedures in Humberside Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary in the light of the recent trial and conviction of Ian Huntley for the murder of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells. [142] When questioned about why she had then helped Huntley in extensively cleaning their home in the days after the children's murder, Carr claimed she had done so as she had always been "obsessive about tidiness. [82] As such, she was found not guilty of assisting an offender. The Wells family still live in Soham, the village where Holly was killed. [173] Rumours of Huntley's sexual interest in underage girls soon became community gossip, and he was regularly insulted by neighbours and colleagues. Available Until: 05 September 2026. In his early years, he frequently threw tantrums in order to get his mother's attention; childhood friends later remarked how afraid he was of his stern father. We do chat about her quite regularly, which I think is a very nice thing. The girls had been at a Wells family barbecue before sneaking out to buy sweets . [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. [100], In February 2002, Huntley found Carr a part-time job at St Andrew's Primary School, although she lied about her academic qualifications when applying for this position. They were determined to be among the five per cent of couples who stay together after losing a child to murder. "[109] According to Carr, Huntley then informed her the children had entered their home in order that Wells could stanch her nosebleed. Parents of murdered Soham girl Holly Wells have become grandparents. It was introduced to close gaps in information-sharing between police forces. Jessica Chapmans parents, Leslie and Sharon, have rarely spoken publicly about the murder. [174], In April 1998, Huntley was arrested on suspicion of raping an 18-year-old woman. When it was revealed that they had moved back into the family home, Nicola and Kevin also shared the news that they had become grandparents. 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. [217] Huntley again applied for compensation for the injuries he received in this attack, seeking 20,000 in damages. Via this hobby, he became familiar with the environs of RAF Lakenheath. Public Inquiry: Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman - Virtual College [103][n 9] Fibres recovered from these garments were a precise match to samples retrieved from Huntley's body and clothing, as well as from 5 College Close. FRIENDS Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went missing in August 2002 and their bodies were not found until more than a week later. Soham murders - Wikipedia Ten years on, parents of murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman Holly Marie Wells (October 4, 1991 - August 4, 2002) was a 10-year-old British girl from Soham, England. The Soham Murders - Forensic Tales He then speculated Huntley's defence counsel may try and argue that he had been confused, commenting: "In that case, they would have to consider [Huntley's] behaviour over the fortnight between the girls' disappearance and their bodies being found. [213], On 3 April 2004, the three-bedroomed house in College Close in which the murders occurred was demolished and the site levelled, with all rubble from the property being discarded in various undisclosed locations. 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. Holly Wells was a British murder victim from Soham, Cambridgeshire. Jessica was a schoolgirl. According to Huntley, he, Wells and Chapman had entered his bathroom to stem a mild nosebleed Wells had been suffering when the girls had walked by his home. The Tragic Disappearance Of Holly Wells And Jessica Chapman - Grunge [238], Bichard later ordered the suspension of the Chief of Humberside Police, David Westwood, for ordering the destruction of records pertaining to alleged child molesters which had not resulted in a conviction. [6], The two girls and a friend named Natalie Parr played computer games and listened to music for about half an hour. We slept on it for a long . [15], Within days of Huntley's formal sentencing, he reflected to the media on the prospect of spending the remainder of his life behind bars and of his fears for his security, exclaiming: "I'm going to rot inside this place. Two girls go missing in August of 2002, leaving their community reeling. Holly's father Kevin Wells described how on the Sunday afternoon Jessica phoned her parents to ask permission to stay over for a barbeque, which .