Huntley prison missed ID checks

Huntley was held on remand in Woodhill Prison

Staff at a prison holding Ian Huntley failed to spot a job applicant was an undercover reporter even though it was written in his passport.

The News of the World investigator used bogus references and a false address on his application to Woodhill Prison, Milton Keynes magistrates heard.

The reporter was put on duty guarding the Soham murderer while he was held on remand in May 2003.

The journalist photographed Huntley in his cell for an award-winning scoop.

He used a digital camera concealed as a personal organiser to photograph Huntley.

He faces two charges under the 1952 Prison Act - conveying a digital camera into the jail and conveying the camera and photographs out.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Checks missed

The former caretaker was held at the Milton Keynes jail ahead of his trial for the murder of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

He received two life sentences for the murders at the Old Bailey in 2003.

Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court heard no-one at the prison checked the reporter's references, called his supposed current employer or verified his address.

Contrary to the rules of the application form, the reporter put down his own wife and mother as references.

Digital images

In court, the prison's deputy governor Stephen Turner and personnel boss Darrel Mitchell were questioned by defence lawyer Andrew Nicol.

Both admitted that they did not know the referees were relatives until they were later told.

Mr Mitchell told the court police criminal record checks were carried out but a separate security check was not completed when the reporter took the job.

At the prison the News of the World man applied for special overtime posts working in the health wing, where prisoners on 24-hour watch were kept

He twice guarded Ian Huntley - once for as long as five hours, the court heard.

He quit the post shortly after taking the pictures and revealed the security breach in the newspaper a month later.

Report praised

To get an ID card he had produced a passport with an Indian visa, with the word journalist written next to it, but nobody spotted it.

He set out initially to test out procedures at the top security jail, cold-called the prison and an application form was sent.

The story prompted an immediate security review at the prison and was praised by Home Secretary David Blunkett, the court heard.

The trial is expected to end on Tuesday.