England’s goalkeeper Nick Pope was in the same class as slaughtered Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, according to a new report.
The 25-year-old from outside of Cambridgeshire attended St Andrew’s Primary School with the slain 10-year-old girls, who were found dead and burned in 2002.
They were killed by Ian Huntley, a caretaker at Soham Village College, who had lured the friends and taken them into his home.
Now, Pope is said to have not only been in the same class as the two young girls, but knew the paedophile and was taught by his lying girlfriend Maxine Carr, who worked as a teaching assistant at the school.
England goalkeeper Nick Pope attended St Andrew’s Primary School in Soham and was in the same class as murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, according to a report
The girls were found dead and burned in 2002. They were killed by Ian Huntley, a caretaker at Soham Village College, who had lured the girls and taken them into his home
According to a report by the Sun on Sunday, Pope has never spoken publicly about the brutal double murder.
But a source told the tabloid: ‘Nick was devastated as all the kids were.’
Speaking of Pope’s and team England’s hope to win big in the World Cup, the source added: ‘The town will finally be on the map for something positive.’
Pope was brought up to play for England for the first time on March 15, for friendly matches with Holland and Italy.
The athlete was seen on Tuesday training with the squad in Burton Upon Trent.
While Pope hopes to help secure a big win for England at the World Cup, Huntley still rots in prison.
Pope is said to have not only been in the same class as the two young girls, but knew paedophile Huntley (left) and was taught by the killer’s lying girlfriend Maxine Carr (right), who worked as a teaching assistant at the school
And although Carr was jailed for lying about her alibi, she was released in May 2004, and granted a lifelong anonymity order and given a new identity.
Huntley, 44, was convicted and jailed for life for the murders in 2003.
In a recording that was leaked in February, Huntley apologised for the pain he had caused the victims’ families, as well as his own.
It was the first time the Soham murderer had been heard in more than 10 years. His voice can reportedly be heard cracking with emotion in the tape recorded behind bars.
In the confession, leaked to The Sun, Huntley said: ‘What I will say is that I am so terribly, terribly sorry for what I have done.’
Pope was brought up to play for England for the first time on March 15, for friendly matches with Holland and Italy. Pictured: Pope training on Tuesday
He continued: ‘I know the people of Soham took me into their community, they trusted me, gave me a job and a home, and I betrayed them in the worst possible way.
‘And I am sorry for what I have done, sorry for the pain I have caused to the families and friends of Holly and Jessica, for the pain I have caused my family and friends, and for the pain I have caused the community of Soham.
‘I am genuinely, genuinely sorry and it breaks my heart when it is reported I have no remorse, that I relish something. I do not.’