Government's Victims' Champion Sara Payne 'sickened' by Huntley claim

THE Government's Victims' Champion Sara Payne said she was "sickened" by Soham murderer Ian Huntley's six-figure claim for compensation after he was badly injured by another inmate.

The killer of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman had his throat slashed in March and now says the prison service failed in their duty of care towards him. It was reported he could recoup almost 100,000, though the Ministry of Justice said the claim would be "vigorously defended".

Ms Payne, who received 8,000 in compensation when her eight-year-old daughter Sarah was abducted and murdered by convicted sex offender Roy Whiting ten years ago, said Huntley "shouldn't get a penny".

"Can anyone honestly tell me it can be right that the killer of Holly and Jessica should get 100,000? He shouldn't get a penny. It is appalling to think he could have that as a nest egg if he is ever freed."

Campaigner Norman Brennan, the founder of the Victims of Crime Trust, said Huntley should drop his claim and be "thankful" he was not hanged.

He said: "If Huntley had the slightest remorse for the terrible murder of these two girls he would drop the case immediately and get on with serving his sentence, and just be thankful it's not pre-1967 when he may well have been sentenced to the hangman's noose."