Jamie Varley, a former teacher convicted of the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old adopted son Preston Davey, has been transferred to HMP Wakefield, a Category A prison known as 'Monster Mansion'. His arrival has been met with hostility from fellow inmates, who have reportedly made threats against him.
A source indicated that Varley was aware of a 'bounty on his head' and received a 'traditional prisoners' welcome,' leaving him reportedly 'sobbing and quaking' in his cell. Inmates are reportedly eager to inflict harm on him due to the nature of his crimes against a baby.
HMP Wakefield houses a significant number of sex offenders, and violence is a known issue within the facility. In the past year, the prison has seen two killings. In November, Kyle Bevan, convicted of murdering a two-year-old, was stabbed 25 times by three other inmates. The previous month, Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins, serving time for child sex offenses, was fatally stabbed.
According to retired prison governor Vanessa Frake-Harris, Varley faces constant threats and psychological warfare. She stated that he will be targeted by various inmates seeking 'street cred' or enacting a form of 'distorted vigilante justice.' Due to the long sentences of many inmates at Wakefield, traditional deterrents are less effective. Frake-Harris predicted Varley might be placed on a Vulnerable Prisoner Unit or in strict segregation, limiting his contact to 23 hours a day in a cell.
Mark Fairhurst, head of the Prison Officers’ Association, described Wakefield as one of the country's most dangerous prisons and suggested Varley should remain in segregation.
The prison's reputation is built on its high-profile inmates, including child killers Roy Whiting and Mark Bridger, Jeremy Bamber, Harold Shipman, and Robert Maudsley, who murdered two inmates at the facility. Mick Philpott, convicted of killing six of his children, was also recently injured in an assault at Wakefield.
An inspection last year noted a significant increase in violence, with serious assaults up by nearly 75 percent. Following this, changes were made, including separating sex offenders from other inmates and modifying exercise periods. While some staff and inmates reported feeling safer, inspectors found ongoing issues with infrastructure and attacks on prisoners.
Professor Ian Acheson, a former prison governor, noted that the initial weeks will focus on containment and assessment. He also highlighted the risk of self-harm for high-profile offenders experiencing the shock of custody. Varley will likely be placed under the prison service's suicide prevention strategy, ACCT.
Varley's former partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, also convicted in connection with Preston Davey's death, faces similar risks. He was jailed for 25 years for sexual abuse, child cruelty, and allowing the infant's death. He is expected to be held in high-security facilities and likely on vulnerable prisoner wings.
Preston Davey died in 2023, months after being placed with Varley and his partner. The child had been subjected to routine abuse and assault, with hospital visits for suspicious injuries prior to his death. A post-mortem examination revealed 40 external and internal injuries, some consistent with sexual abuse. Varley claimed the infant had drowned after being left in a bath, a narrative he presented with feigned hysterics to medical staff.