THE monster who killed baby Preston Davey has been listed as a jail “escape risk” after guards uncovered a plot to flee custody.
It means – handed a whole-life order for the tragic tot’s abuse and murder – has to wear a yellow and green jumpsuit while his movement behind bars is restricted.
Jamie Varley was handed a whole-life order for tragic tot Preston’s abuse and murder Credit: Lancashire Police/PA Wire
The monster, who killed baby Preston Davey, has been listed as a jail ‘escape risk’ Credit: Lancashire Police
But the fiend is being held at a “cushy” Category B Preston Prison, Lancs, where he is shockingly treated as an “enhanced” inmate, the highest of three privilege levels.
Varley, 37 – sentenced on Thursday after a harrowing case at Preston Crown Court – gets £33 per week to spend on canteen treats, a 24-hour per day TV and DvD package plus access to gyms and workhsops.
But the ex-teacher fears being switched to a high-security jail and has bleated: “I will end up like Ian Watkins”.
, 48, was savegely , West Yorks last October – one of the jails where Varley could be transferred.
And a source said: “Varley is having a tough time but it will only get worse for him.
“He is down as an escape risk which means that he has to wear ‘patches’ – a yellow and green jumpsuit to mark out the risk rather than his own or prison-issue clothes.
“It has been done because either because he has tried to escape or they have heard him talking about it.
“It is quite likely he did something like try to slip his handcuffs on the way back from court.
“But if prison officers hear inmates talking about how they would like to escape, or how they think they could, they will be marked down as a risk.
“They have to take it seriously and report it and then the person reported has a lot more scrutiny on them.
“I have known prison officers do it to someone who is obnoxious and they don’t like to make life uncomfortable too.
“It means the inmate is checked on regularly and isn’t allowed to communal and outside areas.
“They are often escorted wherever they go if there is deemed to be a danger.
“And they can also be blocked from gyms or association in the evenings and at weekends when there are less staff on duty to keep tabs on them.
“But the worst thing is wearing patches as it marks you out and you are under the spotlight.” Vile Varley was placed at Preston Prison – where lags can study Graphic Design, Art and Digital Imaging – as it is close to the city’s Crown Court where on Thursday.
The jail runs a book and DvD delivery service to cells and cons can buy treats like Pringles, McCoys, Maltesers and cans of fizzy pop from the prison’s canteen.
The couple, who sexually abused and tortured their adopted baby, were branded “sadistic” by a judge who handed Varley a life tariff and McGowan-Fazakerley 25 years.
Mr Justice Turner told Varley: “You will never be eligible for parole.”
And he now faces a move to one of Britain’s eight high-security prisons including Wakefield or HMP Frankland, Durham where Soham killer was fatally attacked in February.
Officers at HMP Preston have also opened up a ‘care in custody’ docment on Varley as he is a risk to himself and in danger from other lags.
The fiend is being held at ‘cushy’ HMP Preston Credit: HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Lostprophets paedo Watkins was savegely killed at Category A Wakefield Prison Credit: South Wales Police/PA Wire
It means they check on him every 15 minutes, record notes about his mood and escort him around the Victorian jail.
But our source added: “That won’t last forever and he will have a huge target on his back at somewhere like Wakefield.
“Officers are currently checking on him every 15 minutes.
“That sounds reassuring but it is horrible as they have to check on you at night and shine torches into the cell – so it makes it impossible to sleep.
“They have kept him at Preston, which is comfortable in comparison, because his case was at Preston Crown Court.
“But he is likely to be moved to a Category A prison as early as this week – or as soon as a governor agrees to take him.
“When he gets to one his life will be hell and he will be living in fear.
“Everyone, including Varley, knows what happened to Watkins and about
John McGowan-Fazakerley was sentenced to 25 years behind bars Credit: PA
Wakefield Prison, one of the Category A jails where Varley could be transferred Credit: Alamy
“The staff at a bigger prison won’t be able to keep a close eye on him forever, and he will want to spend as long locked up in his cell as possible.
“His life will be hell and he will want to spend as much time alone as possible.
“He just won’t be safe among the general prison population.” Baby Preston was taken from his mother Sarah Davey – a convicted killer – five days after his birth.
He thrived with foster parents before being placed with Varley, who had taken a year off work for the adoption, and McGowan-Fazakerly, 32, in April 2025.
In the four months he lived with them Preston was routinely assaulted and abused.
After his death aged 13 months in July 2025, a post-mortem found 40 external and internal injuries including some consistent with “forcible penetration” and sexual abuse.
Varley rushed Preston to hospital claiming he had drowned on his last fateful day but the prosection said the baby had been “smothered to death”.
Varley was convicted of murder, child cruelty, GBH, sexual assault of a child and taking indecent photos or images of a child.
Sales manager McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing a child’s death, child cruelty and sexual assault of a child.
A Prison Service spokesperson did not comment.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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