Huntley to stand trial for Holly and Jessica murders

Former school caretaker Ian Huntley suffers “no form of mental disorder” and is fit to stand trial for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, a court heard today.

After 50 days assessing Huntley, psychiatrists declared there was no reason why he should be in a mental hospital.

On the orders of a judge, the 28-year-old will now swap the relative comfort of Rampton high security hospital in Nottinghamshire for a normal prison cell while he awaits a joint trial with his girlfriend Maxine Carr, accused of attempting to pervert justice.

Making his third court appearance since being arrested on August 17 for the murders, Huntley - his greying hair close-cropped - looked distraught and confused as he sat in the dock at Peterborough Crown Court.

Wearing a new white shirt creased from the box and a smart grey tie, he sat shaking and wringing his hands as the court heard the conclusion of Dr Christopher Clark, a consultant forensic psychiatrist.

Dr Clark has been assessing him since he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act on August 20 - 16 days after the girls went missing from Soham, Cambs.

Reading from Dr Clark’s report, crown prosecutor Karim Khalil said: 'Mr Huntley is fit to enter a plea and to stand trial.'

He 'is not suffering from any form of major mental illness' and there was 'no evidence that he has been suffering from a significant mood disorder such as depression', said Mr Khalil.

He concluded: "Mr Huntley is not currently subject to any mental disorder which makes it appropriate for him to receive treatment in hospital."

Huntley’s barrister, Maureen Baker, told the court the defence accepted Dr Clark’s report.

Judge Nicholas Coleman remanded Huntley in custody until November 15, when his case will be listed alongside Carr’s at Norwich Crown Court.

Neither Carr nor Huntley - who is also accused with her of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice - is obliged to appear for what is essentially a timetabling hearing.

Huntley looked distracted throughout the 20-minute hearing, which was attended by his brother Wayne, sitting in a dark suit a few feet in front of the dock.

The former Soham Village College caretaker reacted slowly to instructions from the judge and had to be guided to his feet by a security guard and male nurse sitting with him.

He stumbled as he left the court.

Outside were a handful of protesters, but nothing on the scale of the hate mobs that characterised his and Carr’s previous court appearances.

Holly and Jessica vanished from Soham on August 4 and their bodies were discovered in a ditch near Lakenheath, Suffolk, on August 17.