John Warry

John Warry, a 73-year-old man from Barry in Wales, was serving a 12-year custodial sentence for the horrific sexual abuse of a toddler when he died in prison in September 2022. The offences, which involved multiple counts of child rape, came to light after the victim reported the abuse, leading to Warry's arrest and trial.

In 2017, at Cardiff Crown Court, Warry was initially sentenced to nine years' imprisonment plus one year on licence by Judge Patrick Curran KC following a jury's guilty verdict on five counts of raping a child. The court heard disturbing evidence, including that Warry had given the toddler a 'high-five' after sexually abusing her, an act that underscored the depravity of his crimes. Warry maintained his innocence throughout, claiming astonishment at the victim's allegations and attempting to portray her as 'a storyteller', but the jury rejected his defence.

The sentence was deemed unduly lenient by the then-Solicitor General Robert Buckland KC, who referred the case to the Court of Appeal. The appeal court agreed, increasing the term to 12 years' custody with an extended one-year licence period. This tougher penalty reflected the severity of the child sex offences committed against a vulnerable toddler.

Warry was incarcerated at HMP Stafford, a facility designated for sex offenders. Tragically, he died there from severe heart failure and a heart attack. A subsequent report by the Prisons Ombudsman, Adrian Usher, criticised significant deficiencies in the prison's healthcare management. The ombudsman noted: 'Several significant deficiencies in the management of Mr Warry’s cardiovascular risk and his clinical management when he reported chest pains on the day of his death.' Key failings included the failure to follow up on a pharmacist's assessment identifying Warry as high-risk for heart attack or stroke, the GP's withdrawal of statin medication without proper tests or documentation, and the lack of prioritisation of Warry's medical appointment request five days before his death despite concerning symptoms.

• On the morning of his death, healthcare staff did not adhere to procedures for escalating chest pain.
• Poor clinical record-keeping was evident.
• The prison governor posted incorrect information about the death on social media, breaching civil service code guidelines.

The report made recommendations to HMP Stafford to prevent recurrence of such failings, emphasising better training on social media use and clinical protocols. Warry's death highlighted systemic issues in prison healthcare for vulnerable inmates, though the primary focus remains on the justice served for his paedophilic crimes against a child. The case was investigated by South Wales Police, with proceedings at Cardiff Crown Court in Wales.