Jamie Varley, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for the abuse and murder of 13-month-old Preston Davey, has changed his name to Harry Robb in an effort to conceal his identity within HMP Wakefield, a prison known for housing notorious offenders. Varley, 37, reportedly applied to change his name by deed poll, adding the middle name Jae, a process that costs approximately £53.05.
Prison sources indicate Varley is "absolutely petrified" and fears for his safety due to threats from other inmates. He believes adopting a new name will make him less recognizable and help him avoid vigilante attacks. His fears are heightened by past incidents at the facility, including the fatal stabbing of Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins and the murder of Kyle Bevan by three other inmates.
Varley's crime involved a "sickening campaign of physical, sexual and emotional abuse" against Preston Davey over the final four months of the infant's life. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, received a 25-year sentence for his role in the abuse and death of the child. The pair had previously attempted to start new lives in a new home shortly after Preston's murder, integrating into their community without revealing their crime.
Upon his arrival at HMP Wakefield, Varley was reportedly met with hostility, with inmates allegedly hammering on cell bars. He has been held in the prison's healthcare unit since his sentencing on June 18 and is being considered for transfer to D Wing, a unit designated for vulnerable inmates and those at high risk of self-harm. This wing is colloquially known as the "nonces wing" due to the number of sex offenders housed there.
Ex-governor Vanessa Frake-Harris MBE told the Daily Mail that Varley would face constant threats, including "non-stop psychological warfare" and potential physical attacks. Tactics such as "jugging"—throwing boiling water mixed with sugar—and the use of makeshift weapons are common. To ensure his survival, authorities may place him in a Vulnerable Prisoner Unit or under strict segregation, meaning he would spend up to 23 hours a day in isolation.
HMP Wakefield, nicknamed "Monster Mansion," houses approximately 630 prisoners, with two-thirds convicted of sexual offenses. Notable former inmates include serial killer Dr. Harold Shipman and Robert Maudsley, who murdered two inmates. Recent inspections have noted an increase in violence at the prison, with a shift in the inmate population to include more sex offenders, leading to changes in how prisoners are managed and housed to mitigate risks.
Varley, formerly a head of Year 11 at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, was condemned by photographic evidence he kept on his phone. During the trial, it was revealed that Preston had been taken to the hospital multiple times with suspicious injuries, including a broken elbow, yet alarms were not raised. A post-mortem examination found 40 external and internal injuries, some consistent with sexual abuse.