Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Holly Evans and PA Reporters

What is a whole life order – and who is serving one?

  • School teacher Jamie Varley has been given a whole life prison order for the murder and sexual abuse of his adopted 13-month-old baby, Preston Davey.
  • This is the third whole-life order issued this year, with Varley joining over 60 other criminals, including high-profile figures like Wayne Couzens, Levi Bellfield and Kyle Clifford.
  • This means they will never be considered for release unless there are exceptional compassionate grounds to warrant it.
  • Only four women have ever received a whole-life order in the UK: Lucy Letby , Myra Hindley , Rose West , and Joanna Dennehy .
  • The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which became law in 2023, expanded the use of whole-life orders for the premeditated murder of a child and, in exceptional cases, for offenders aged 18 to 20.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.