Notorious predatory paedophile was strangled in his cell with an electrical cable sheath

Paul Fitzgerald, 30, strangled Richard Huckle with an electrical cable sheath, forcefully inserted a pen into his brain and penetrated his anus and lower bowel with a blunt object, the trial at Hull Crown Court heard.

Jurors were told that Huckle was murdered in a "prolonged attack designed to humiliate and degrade him" at HMP Full Sutton, in East Yorkshire, in October 2019.

Opening the case, Alistair MacDonald QC said that Fitzgerald was found in Huckle's cell by another inmate "straddling" the victim, who was on the floor near a pool of blood.

Prison officers were alerted and found Huckle gagged and bound by his hands and feet, with a ligature around his neck, the court heard.

Mr MacDonald said: "Richard Huckle suffered death as a result of ligature strangulation as part of a sustained attack.

"The attack comprised the forceful insertion of the pen into the brain, the penetration of the anus and lower bowel with a blunt object and multiple impacts or blows to the face and at least one heavy blow to the area of the kidney."

He said Huckle had also been stabbed in the neck with a weapon made from inserting a screw into a melted toothbrush.

The prosecution barrister said Fitzgerald told the manager of the mental health team at the prison that he had "murdered Mr Huckle in cold blood" and would liked to have cooked bits of his body.

Mr MacDonald told the jury: "He said he enjoyed what he was doing to the body of Mr Huckle and that he would have gone on to kill two or three others.

"The reason he did not was that he was having too much fun with Mr Huckle."

Mr MacDonald said: "Mr Huckle was notorious in the press. He was what was called a predatory paedophile.

"The insertion of an object into his anus, and possibly into his brain as well, was, say the prosecution, a form of punishment associated with the offending which had led Mr Huckle to prison."

He added: "This was a carefully planned and executed attack, in the course of which Mr Huckle had been subjected to a prolonged attack also designed to humiliate and degrade him."

Mr MacDonald told the court that Fitzgerald was described as "calm and measured" and seemed "enthused and energised" about his future.

The jury was told that he denies murdering Huckle but accepts killing him by reason of diminished responsibility.

The trial continues.