Two ‘guilty’ verdicts for Soham murderer Ian Huntley sprang regional newsrooms into action as they published all the trial news and backgrounders ahead of the national press.

Jurors returned a majority verdict on both charges of murder that he faced for the killing of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells.

The newspapers related the trial result as well as a previously secret series of sex allegations against him, and news that Home Secretary David Blunkett was ordering an inquiry as to how someone with Huntley’s record managed to work with children.

The verdict came at the right time for evening newspapers to get the news to readers, leaving the nationals to follow up the case this morning.

The Cambridge Evening News and Grimsby Telegraph both had reporters at the Old Bailey for the duration of the trial – the accused couple being from Grimsby and the Cambridge paper covering Soham.

Both were able to file copy in time for yesterday’s final editions. They also used agency copy and pre-written backgrounders to tell the story.

The Grimsby Telegraph yesterday ran eight pages as well as a pre-printed 32-page full-colour supplement about Huntley, and a 12-page insert on co-accused Maxine Carr, found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

As HTFP reported in August 2002, the paper had tipped off police about Huntley’s past after a reader called the newsroom with information – which led the Telegraph to check its files to find a rape accusation from 1998, which was reported then but could not be revealed until after the trial.

The guilty verdict – at 11.50am – “definitely fell at the right time”, according to Cambridge Evening News news editor John Deex.

The Evening News gave readers 19 pages of coverage – including a report from Evening News journalist John Clare at the Old Bailey.

The paper had a host of background material in place ready for the result and had prepared two versions of the paper every day this week in anticipation of the switch.

John Deex said: “John rang through to file his story as soon as the judge had finished sentencing and he was able to come out of court.

“We had a poster front page and John’s report filled pages two and three, with pages four onwards carrying background material.”

The normal final edition print-run of 17,000 was also increased to 23,000, before the news team turned their attention to today’s issue, shifting the emphasis onto how the tragedy was allowed to happen – and how Huntley got a job at a school despite suspicions he was a threat to children.

The Grimsby paper today printed a 6am early edition, which also carried yesterday’s special supplements.

Editor Michelle Lalor said: “Our supplements were pre-printed last week ready to insert when the trial ended, written so they could be run whatever the verdict.

“We normally go to press at 12.30pm but decided to hold on for an hour to get the full story in.”

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