The man due to go on trial in Britain for the murder of two girls in Soham last year was admitted to hospital today after what reports said was an "apparent suicide attempt".
Ian Huntley (29), who is accused of the murder of friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, was taken to hospital from Woodhill prison in the early hours of the morning.
The BBC reported Mr Huntley had apparently attempted suicide, but the Prison Service said only that he had tried to harm himself.
"We can confirm that Ian Huntley was taken to hospital at four this morning following an incident of serious self-harm," a prison service spokesman said.
The Home Office said Huntley had been taken to a hospital near the prison in central England where he was awaiting trial for abduction and murder over the killing of the two 10-year-olds.
Mr Huntley and his companion Ms Maxine Carr were arrested hours before the remains of the two girls were found in woods outside a US air base in the east of England, 13 days after they disappeared in their nearby hometown of Soham.
Mr Huntley has denied two charges of murder, but admitted a charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. He was moved to prison last year from a mental hospital after psychiatrists concluded that he was sane and fit to stand trial.
Ms Carr (25), a teaching assistant at the girls' primary school, has been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by giving false information to police.
The trial of both Mr Huntley and Ms Carr is to start on October 6th.
Additional reporting AFP