were two 10-year old classmates who had been friends since they were only four years old. Police and prosecutors weren’t able to establish a motive for Huntley murdering Holly and Jessica, but the case was solid enough without it. . Subscribe to Forensic Tales Podcast so you don’t miss an episode! soham murders: 13 years since crimes that shocked britain Shocking: The girls' bodies were found nearly a fortnight later, around 14 miles away from home in a ditch near Lakenheath, Suffolk The girls didn’t tell anyone at the barbecue they were planning on leaving. The Soham Murders are the murders of two 10-year-old girls which occurred in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England on 4 August 2002. Appeals were made to the public to come forward if they had any information about Holly and Jessica. At approximately 6:15 p.m. that evening, Holly and Jessica decided they wanted to leave Holly’s house and to get some candy from a local vending machine. On August 4, 2002, two ten-year-old girls called Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman left a barbecue in Soham, Cambridgeshire to buy sweets, and were … Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells: 18 years on from the Soham murders School caretaker Ian Huntley is currently serving a prison sentence for the young girls' murder. Jessica and Holly had taken a photograph together, the night they went missing at the family barbeque. The Soham murders were awful and shocking, and the public outrage which followed justifiably focussed on the fact that Ian Huntley, Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells’ killer, had worked as a caretaker at the girls’ school, and did so despite various authorities being aware of allegations against him of indecent assault and underage sex. The case I’m referring to is the murders of 10 year old Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002. This was the first time in the investigation that the police voiced their fear that the girls had been killed. Following the Bichard Inquiry, into the Soham murders, new legislation introduced. It is important that anyone working with children (under 18 years) and / or vulnerable adults is familiar with this current legislation. • Following the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by Ian Huntley (commonly referred to as the Soham Murders), the Government commissioned Sir Michael Bichard to conduct an enquiry. On her return, Maxine also spoke to the press. The picture depicted the two girls, both wearing red Manchester United replica football jerseys with black shorts. The next day, Aug. 17, two bodies were discovered at Lakenheath, Suffolk. Soham, Cambridgeshire is a small town of around 11,000. About 15 minutes later, the girls had disappeared. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were two 10-year old classmates who had been friends since they were only four years old. He claimed he had asked the girls into his house when he saw Holly had a nosebleed. By Catriona Harvey-Jenner The site of the Soham murders was elsewhere. When he saw Holly and Jessica walking by his house, he invited them in, telling them their teacher Ms. Carr was inside. The next month, Huntley was charged and remanded in custody for a week after being accused of beating and raping another 18-year-old woman as she was walking home from a nightclub. Fiber evidence and the soil found inside of Ian Huntley’s car were an exact match to the soil and fiber evidence found where the girls’ bodies were dumped. Police also became suspicious after they spotted a set of fresh tyres on Huntley's battered … © All rights reserved. Maxine also spoke to the ditch where they were discovered at Lakenheath, Suffolk were! S also often referred to as the Soham murders, new legislation introduced Carr, also not. Moved the bodies and set them on fire to try and destroy the forensic evidence to! 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