Preston Davey’s murderer Jamie Varley endured his first night of a whole life sentence at the notorious ‘Monster Mansion’ “sobbing and quaking” in his cell, as furious fellow inmates screamed threats that he would face retribution, according to insiders.

Enraged prisoners reportedly gave the convicted paedophile a “traditional prisoners welcome”, rattling the bars and hollering warnings that his days are numbered for the appalling abuse he subjected little Preston to.

The chilling threats greeted Varley as he arrived at HMP Wakefield – widely known as Monster Mansion – where he was transferred directly following his sentencing at Preston Crown Court last week.

Varley received a whole life order for the grotesque abuse of adopted 13-month-old baby Preston. Following an eight-week trial, the 37-year-old was convicted of murder, sexual assault, and a catalogue of other heinous child sex offences.

The stark reality of his fate appeared to “hit” home as he spent his first night weeping in his cell, sources claim, reports the Daily Star.

“It was quite the hit home for how the rest of his life will be,” a source revealed exclusively to the Daily Star.

“Varley was in for a rude awakening if he thought he would be getting an easy ride. He is arguably one of Britain’s most hated men right now, and that stands in the prison too.

“There’s a bounty on his head, everyone wants to be the one to hurt him first, and he was made very aware of that as he entered the prison.

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“The other prisoners knew he was coming and they waited for him. They want him scared and they want to make his time inside as awful as they can – and now he knows he has a lot of time inside to serve. He is never getting out, there is no way out of this hell for him.”

Varley is understood to be currently held in segregation. This entails spending most of his time confined to his cell in solitude, under constant supervision from guards tasked with ensuring his safety.

“In time he will be allowed to move about a bit more, but any time he does leave his cell it is likely he will be flanked by guards, they have a duty of care to him,” the insider added.

“He was welcomed last night by loud banging and shouting as fellow prisoners who anticipated his arrival when they learnt of a prison van arriving to drop off newbies.

“He was whispering to himself and spent the whole night just sobbing in his cell. He must be thinking that an attack is inevitable, it is just a case of when.”

Mental health specialists are also anticipated to attend the Category A facility in West Yorkshire to evaluate his psychological condition, as he remains under round-the-clock suicide watch.

“High profile prisoners are often placed on this as a matter of protocol,” the source added. “But in this case it is probably called for and a real possibility. What has he got to live for?”.

Wakefield ranks among Britain’s most infamous prisons, renowned for detaining the nation’s most dangerous offenders. The facility houses between 630 and 750 high-risk prisoners, with the overwhelming majority serving lengthy or indefinite life terms.

Over the years, its notorious residents have included Harold Shipman, Levi Bellfield, Ian Huntley, and Charles Bronson.

“Things will not be getting any better for him any time soon,” the insider continued. “In fact every day he survives, the bounty will increase for taking him out.

“Guards certainly have a job on their hands keeping him safe.”

Varley’s partner John McGowan-Fazakerley’s whereabouts remain unclear, though sources suggest he is likely to be held at either HMP Manchester (Strangeways) or HMP Full Sutton.

In a recent episode of British sitcom Amandaland, Anne Flynn turns to ChatGPT for help talking to her teenage son about sex. The episode frames this as “The Chat”: the awkward parent-child conversation many adults dread.

What Anne is doing on screen is what many people are now doing in private: taking hard human conversations to a machine that can answer immediately. The scene raises a bigger question: what do people need from another person when they are struggling, and can AI provide it?

Popular ideas about therapy often centre on expertise: the therapist as someone who can explain what is wrong and offer a way to fix it.

Therapy can involve psychoeducation and specialist techniques. But it also relies on the relationship between therapist and client, and the therapist’s ability to stay with uncertainty rather than provide an answer too soon.

At the University of Leeds, we ask trainee counsellors and psychotherapists to reflect on how quickly they may want to solve, reassure or interpret.

The capacity to tolerate uncertainty is treated as a clinical skill, developed through reflection, supervision and practice. Students are encouraged to notice the pull towards becoming the expert who supplies answers, and to consider what becomes possible when they stay curious instead.

This reflects what is known as a “not-knowing stance”. When therapists resist assuming they already know what a client’s experience means, the client is treated as the expert on their own life. The therapist still brings training and ethical responsibility, but remains open to discovering meaning with the client rather than imposing it.

Distress is rarely just a puzzle to be solved. People may arrive in therapy wanting answers, explanations or relief. But if a therapist moves too quickly into advice, interpretation or diagnosis, they can miss what the client is really trying to say.

The not-knowing stance asks the therapist to remain curious and present, when the person in front of them feels overwhelmed.

Importance of alliance

Researchers call the relationship between therapist and client the “therapeutic alliance”: the trust, connection and shared purpose that allows therapy to happen.

A major review showed that this alliance is reliably linked with therapy outcomes, with stronger alliances tending to be associated with better results in therapy. Later research has found that the alliance is crucial across different types of therapy.

Therapeutic approaches still matter, and some difficulties require specialist treatment. But research on the common factors in psychotherapy suggests that shared elements – including empathy, collaboration and the belief that therapy can help – are central to how therapy works.

The appeal of AI in difficult moments is understandable. Research into people who repeatedly use ChatGPT for emotional and mental health support suggests that some users value it because it feels accessible and non-judgmental. Chatbots are available at 3am and respond instantly in language that sounds caring. For someone unable to access support, that may feel like a lifeline.

There is also growing research into AI in mental health care, including chatbots, digital interventions and large language models – systems trained on huge amounts of text to generate human-like responses.

Reviews suggest these tools may have potential in screening, psychoeducation and access to support. But the evidence base is still developing, and concerns remain around safety, privacy and over-reliance. A systematic review of AI in mental health care and a scoping review of large language models in mental health care both (in 2025) stressed the need for stronger evaluation and safeguards.

Research on the digital therapeutic alliance shows that people can experience something relationship-like with mental health chatbots. A chatbot can sound curious and compassionate. It can mirror a user’s words, suggest breathing exercises or help someone plan a difficult conversation.

But relationship-like support and reciprocal human presence are different. Human therapists can respond to far more than words: hesitation, silence, tone, expression, and the moment someone says something important while pretending it is ordinary.

Therapists can be surprised, concerned, challenged and changed by the encounter. They also carry ethical and professional responsibility for what happens in the room.

Presence and accountability

The not-knowing approach rests on intersubjectivity: the way two people affect and are affected by each other. Research on synchrony in psychotherapy suggests that therapist and client may coordinate aspects of voice, movement and physiology during therapy, as their responses begin to align in subtle ways. These embodied processes show why therapy is more than an exchange of words.

A language model does not have that kind of presence. It can identify patterns in language, but it cannot notice a client’s hand tightening around a tissue, hear the change in someone’s voice when they mention a name, feel concern or take ethical responsibility for the relationship.

There are also ethical concerns about agency: the client’s capacity to make sense of their experiences and make choices for themselves. Recent work on AI and agency in psychotherapy warns that chatbots and human therapists support agency in different ways. An AI system may shift authority towards a tool that does not know the person and may produce confident answers when caution is needed.

AI may help some people prepare for a conversation, find words for a feeling, practise asking for help, or access basic information when nothing else is available. Support and therapy have different responsibilities, though. A chatbot may be available whenever the user returns. That differs from staying with someone in a mutual, accountable human relationship.

When a therapist can say, honestly, “I don’t know what this means for you yet, but I’m here and I want to understand,” they are offering something no algorithm can replicate: a trained human presence that can listen, respond and remain accountable.

BBC Breakfast presenter Jon Kay alerted viewers to severe ‘risk to life’ warnings

BBC Breakfast’s Jon Kay left his co-host alone in the studio as he issued a “risk to life” warning.

The popular morning show typically features two hosts in the studio, with regular pairings such as Jon Kay and Sally Nugent or Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt.

However, when Wednesday’s edition (June 24) got underway, Jon opened the show presenting outside Richmond Upon Thames, while Sally remained alone in the studio.

Within minutes of the show starting, Jon wasted no time alerting viewers to severe warnings indicating a genuine threat to life, as a rare red extreme heat warning has been issued as temperatures soar across the UK.

Addressing those tuning in from home, Jon went on to say: “Today we are here to cover a really serious story.”

He continued: “Parts of England and Wales are preparing for an extreme red heat alert, which has been issued by the Met Office.”

The TV presenter went on: “It means millions of us are set to be affected today so let’s just show you the areas where people are going to find things most challenging over the next few hours.”

The show then cut to a clip of a map as Jon explained: “This red alert will come into force across southern England, across the Midlands and south-east Wales and it starts at nine o’clock this morning.”

Jon warned: “It carries a risk to life warning and it’s only the second time that the Met Office has ever issued an alert like this. The temperature here in Richmond is already 22-23 Celsius but it could reach 38 in some places later.”

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He continued: “It’s the humidity as well, which is going to make things even more challenging.”

The camera then panned over to the view, as he added: “If you look over the bridge you can see the air – it feels really humid and sticky and we are just on the outskirts of London.”

Hundreds of schools across England and Wales are closing fully or partially, and rail passengers are being warned to avoid non-essential travel today and Thursday (June 25).

Running fewer trains puts less stress on the railway infrastructure. The idea is also to minimise the number of people caught up in any disruption.

And create breathing space in the timetable so any delays cause less of a knock-on impact.

BBC Breakfast airs everyday from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer

If Scotland lose and finish with three points, there are a number of results they will need to look out for – they will want as many groups as possible with two teams finishing on fewer than three points.

In Group A, if Mexico beat the Czech Republic and South Korea beat South Africa, that would leave the team in third on one point.

The next best scenario would be a big South Africa win to leave South Korea in third with three points and a poor goal difference.

Wins for South Africa and the Czech Republic would spell bad news for Scotland, leaving the third-place finisher on four points.

One of the few games that take place before Scotland face Brazil that has a bearing on where Scotland could finish comes in Group B.

Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar meet three hours before Scotland play and, if they draw, both sides will have two points.

Scotland would also want group winners the USA to at least get a point against Turkey, to keep them out of the equation.

On we go to Group E.

Ecuador and Curacao have one point apiece and play Germany and Ivory Coast respectively. Failure to win would mean whoever finishes third cannot better Scotland’s tally of three points.

In Group F, Scotland will be hoping second-placed Japan beat third-placed Sweden convincingly. A point for Sweden, though, would leave the third-placed finishers on at least four points.

The key fixture in Group G as far as Scotland are concerned is Egypt v Iran. A win for Egypt will ensure the team finishing third will have fewer than three points.

It is the same situation in Group H where Scotland fans will be rooting for Spain to beat Uruguay so the third-placed team can only finish on two points, while in Group I, a draw between Senegal and Iraq would mean the team in third will have just one point.

In Group J, Austria and Algeria are second and third respectively on three points and play each other in their final group game, so the scenario Scotland would want to avoid is that game ending in a draw. They would also want Argentina to avoid defeat against Jordan, who currently have zero points.

DR Congo and Uzbekistan are vying for third place in Group K.

A win for Uzbekistan would give them three points but, with a goal difference of -7, they would need a big win against DR Congo and for Scotland to lose badly to move above them in the standings.

In Group L, a point or more for Croatia against Ghana could be bad news for Scotland as it would again leave the third-place finishers with four points.

A big win for Ghana, and Panama not beating England, would be Scotland’s ideal scenario from a mathematical point of view.

Hundreds of schools will fully or partially close over the next few days because of the extreme heat, with temperatures set to hit record highs.

A ‘heat-dome’ settling over western Europe could bring temperatures of nearly 40C by Wednesday, with this latest heatwave expected to surpass the record for June of 35.6C set in Hampshire in 1976.

A red weather warning for extreme heat covering an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham was issued by the Met Office from 9am on Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday.

The temperature could come close to the UK’s all-time high of 40.3C which was measured in July 2022.

Some 100 schools in Somerset will be closed over the next three days, with the vast majority fully closed on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Somerset Council.

Around 100 schools will also be at least partially closed over the next three days in Buckinghamshire, along with 86 schools in Gloucestershire, according to council data.

Children at some schools have been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform, which can involve long trousers and blazers.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

A new ‘Cancer Garden’ opens today (Wednesday, June 24, at Bolton Castle near Leyburn in a touching tribute to Harry, the 8th Lord Bolton, who died of cancer in 2023 following a “brave fight” with the disease.

The garden was the idea of gardener Elizabeth Carter, who has tended the castle’s Herb Garden for years and wanted to create something meaningful in his memory.

Left, Elizabeth Carter and Tom Lord Bolton Bolton Castle Cancer Garden discuss the garden (Image: Supplied)

Tom, the 9th Lord Bolton, said: “Dad reinstated the gardens at Bolton Castle and always loved talking to Elizabeth about them and I was very touched when she suggested a cancer garden in remembrance of him.

“With her encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine, Elizabeth has done an amazing job of ensuring the plants tell the story of the origins of many remedies, which tie in with the history of the castle.

“Tragically, too many people are affected by this awful disease and we would like to use the opportunity to highlight the work of Herriot Hospice, who gave both Dad and Elizabeth’s father wonderful care in their last weeks of life.”

Left, Elizabeth Carter and Tom Lord Bolton Bolton Castle Cancer Garden discuss the garden (Image: Supplied)

The garden is designed as a “physic bed” – a space planted with herbs and flowers historically believed to bring comfort or relief to those suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses.

It sits within the castle’s southeast walled garden and complements the existing planting, all of which reflects the period from the 14th to 16th centuries.

Plants such as Madonna lily and hyacinth, both associated with remembrance and cancer, feature in the new bed.

Elizabeth Carter said: “This is my 12th year working in the gardens at Bolton Castle and it has taken me on a fascinating exploration of medieval plants about which I previously knew nothing.

“Had Lord Bolton not reinstated the gardens, I would never have had such an adventure, and I wanted to say thank you and honour him in some way.

“As Lord Bolton’s death was attributed to cancer, I thought a memorial cancer bed might be appropriate.

“The information I have prepared includes the history of cancer from its first mention in an Egyptian papyrus from 3,500 BC to the physicians’ approach to and treatment of cancer over the years to the present day.”

The garden will develop further as the plants mature, adding colour and depth over time.

Jason Hanslip, head gardener at Bolton Castle, also played a key role in bringing the project to life.

Lord Bolton said: “Head gardener, Jason Hanslip, who played a part in creating the garden and I am proud to have been able to work on this with Elizabeth and the team and open the garden today to our visitors.”

The Cancer Garden opens to visitors on 24 June 2026, and access for visitors is included with entry.

If approve the plan will see the seven new houses with car parking and landscaping built on land off Wigan Road near Haslam Park.

The developers say that they have planned for the new homes to be a “low rise form of family housing” which fits with demand in the area.

A design and access statement from Neil Pike Architects said: “The site is located within close proximity to local amenities and benefits from good transport links, including the location of a bus stop immediately to the front of the site.

“The site access enables direct pedestrian and vehicular access to each dwelling from Wigan Road, demonstrating the site’s sustainability and suitability for residential development of this nature.

Up to seven new houses have been proposed (Image: Neil Pike Architects)

“The principal objective of this proposal is to provide high-quality housing attracting long-term residents across generations which will bring community and conserve and enhance the existing streetscape and character of the area, whilst adhering to local planning policy and contributing positively to the surrounding natural and physical environment.”

The plans were received by Bolton Council on Friday June 19 and validated on Monday June 22.

The land off Wigan Road was previously occupied by the Riverside Care home which had become derelict and was demolished after a fire that broke out in 2007.

The design and access statement said: “The design concept for the new build development revolves around creating housing of a style common in this locality, with a harmonious blend of traditional architecture, prevalent in the area, with modern interpretation.

“The aim is to maintain the character and aesthetic appeal of the neighbourhood while introducing contemporary living spaces that meet the demands of today’s residents.

“The buildings will be designed with a mix of traditional and modern architectural elements.

“The facing brick will ensure the development’s compatibility with the surrounding buildings.

“The design itself will incorporate gable ends to each block of accommodation, with pitched roofs and symmetrical proportions.

“Appropriately selected materials regarding roof tiles, windows and doors are in-keeping with those of the surrounding area, whilst simultaneously ensuring there is an aesthetic and welcoming appeal to the design.”

Bolton Council will aim to decide whether to approve the plans by Monday August 17.

TOKYO (AP) — The head of the U.N.’s nuclear agency signaled Wednesday that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his inspectors, a key component in the interim deal between the United States and Iran to reach an end to the war.

The comment by International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi was the firmest yet from the United Nations agency, which is viewed as key in determining the status of Iran’s nuclear stockpile.

Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is believed to store enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build as many as 10 nuclear weapons, should it choose to rush for the bomb. Iran long has maintained that its program is peaceful, though it is the only country in the world to have uranium enriched up to 60% purity without a weapons program.

The U.S. and Iran offered contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether those sites would be inspected.

Grossi says inspections are ‘going to happen’

“I can understand political statements, they are part of the reality, but the fundamental thing I would like to remind you and draw your attention to is that there has been a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both presidents,” Grossi told journalists at a news conference at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The accord “says explicitly that the nuclear activities that are going to be carried out with the regards to the nuclear material facilities will be supervised by the IAEA — in all letters,” he said.

Grossi added: “Obviously, to do that, we will have to inspect. Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important, but not essential. This is going to happen.”

Those inspections are key for the deal, which calls for Iran’s stockpile of uranium to be “downblended” from highly enriched levels.

There was no immediate reaction from Iran. On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that U.N. inspectors were not scheduled to examine nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. last year, rejecting comments made a day before by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

IAEA blocked from seeing bombed sites

The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since the 12-day war in 2025, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant. But without accessing the enrichment sites, the IAEA says it is unable to verify the status of Iran’s stockpile or check the cascades of centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Both Iran and the IAEA say Tehran hasn’t been enriching uranium, but nonproliferation experts worry that the Islamic Republic may be moving its stockpile to undeclared areas.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country while giving each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements.

But the uneasy ceasefire already has been tested by Iran saying it closed the strait again over fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence again broke out in Lebanon on Tuesday, but it did not escalate.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that Grossi spoke at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, not in Tokyo.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Eleanor Donaldson, 60, had faced a trial of the facts after being found medically unable to participate in the trial.

A number of options are available to a judge in place of a conventional sentence for Lady Eleanor Donaldson, who was found by a jury this week to have aided and abetted her husband Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s sex offending.

The judge at Newry Crown Court could issue a number of treatment orders or else an absolute discharge.

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty on Monday of 18 sex offences against two women when they were children, including one count of rape.

The offences occurred between 1985 and 2008.

Eleanor Donaldson, 60, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, had faced a trial of the facts after being found medically unable to participate in the trial.

The process tested the evidence but could not result in a criminal conviction.

While she was not present in court, she was legally represented and her barrister Ian Turkington KC cross-examined the two victims and made legal submissions.

She had faced a number of charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s offending and the jury found that she “did the acts”.

While Jeffrey Donaldson was warned he is facing a “lengthy” prison term when he is sentenced later in the year, his wife could instead face a treatment order.

The judge Paul Ramsey could impose a medical order as set out by the relevant legislation.

These are designed to protect the public in circumstances where it is required.

This could include being committed to hospital, being subject to a guardianship order or subject to a supervision and treatment order.

If none of those are required, the defendant would be absolutely discharged.

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