Huntley sent back to hospital

Emotions ran high outside the courtroom

The man charged with the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman has been remanded to Rampton high security hospital where he will undergo more tests.

Former school caretaker Ian Huntley made his first appearance in court on Tuesday amid a major police operation to deter troublemakers outside Peterborough Magistrates' Court.

The 28-year-old faced two counts of murder and a third, new charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Huntley was remanded back into the care of the Nottinghamshire secure hospital until 8 October and he arrived back there at 1340 BST.

Magistrates will not consider Ian Huntley's mental state

He has been undergoing assessment at Rampton since 20 August, the day he was charged with the murders of the 10-year-olds from Soham.

Wearing a maroon sweatshirt, Mr Huntley looked nervous throughout the brief hearing as he stood in the dock flanked by two police officers.

He said nothing but waited impassively, slightly trembling, and making no eye contact with anyone in the courtroom.

Crowds gathering

His brother Wayne and his brother's wife Claire - Mr Huntley's ex-wife - were in court to hear proceedings.

Police from two neighbouring forces had been drafted in to help ensure public safety at the court but his entourage was greeted with only a handful of bystanders and a muted response.

However, crowds gathered outside during his appearance and numbers swelled to about 200.

When Mr Huntley's girlfriend, former teaching assistant Ms Carr, 25, appeared at the same court on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice, police struggled to hold back protesters.

I'm sure no member of the British public wants a fair trial to be prejudiced

Lord Goldsmith

Her lawyers are considering whether to make an application for bail.

And when her case was heard at Peterborough Crown Court she appeared on a video link from Holloway Prison, where she is being held on remand, to avoid a repeat of the ugly scenes.

Ms Carr's next scheduled appearance at Peterborough Crown Court is on 27 September.

Public and media interest in the cases has been intense.

The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, said he would not be issuing a new formal warning to the press to back up a document published in the days after Mr Huntley and Ms Carr were charged.

But he said the media should "exercise a great deal of care" to ensure they did not prejudice Mr Huntley's trial.

Holly and Jessica went missing on 4 August and their bodies were found in a ditch at a Suffolk beauty spot at Lakenheath 13 days later.