A well-known sexual predator referred to as “The Fox” passed away from natural causes after experiencing a “sudden and severe” heart attack while incarcerated, according to a coroner’s findings.
Malcolm Fairley, who hailed from Sunderland, perpetrated sexual offenses in 1984 across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire, triggering one of the most extensive manhunts in British criminal history.
The 71-year-old was discovered unresponsive on the floor of his cell at HMP Hull on May 29, 2024.
During the reopened inquest into his demise, Sarah Middleton, the assistant coroner in Hull, noted: “Mr. Fairley had significant heart health issues, and the cause of death was a sudden event.”
She further remarked, “However, I cannot determine, based on probability, the exact moment Mr. Fairley experienced his lethal myocardial infarction.”
The court learned that Fairley had a history of heart disease, having been diagnosed with angina in 2019 and regularly taking medication.
On the day he died, Fairley was located on a wing with 85 other inmates. An operational support grade (OSG) officer and a senior officer on duty stated they had “no concerns” and observed nothing unusual.
The OSG clarified that a “roll call” of the inmates was conducted between 18:50 and 19:10 BST, with an additional check between 04:15 and 04:45 the following morning.
Ms. Middleton inquired whether every cell had been checked, to which the OSG affirmed, “Absolutely.”
A “code blue” alert signaling breathing difficulties was activated at 06:20 BST after a prison officer discovered Fairley at the start of the shift.
Stephen Mayo, a prison officer with 13 years of experience at HMP Hull, recalled finding Fairley on his cell floor, unresponsive to knocks at the door.
Upon entering the cell, he noted that the inmate felt “cold to the touch” and appeared to have “been dead for some time.”
Paramedics assessed the situation and concluded that Fairley was “beyond help,” pronouncing him dead at the scene.
Fairley earned the moniker “The Fox” due to his method of breaking into victims’ homes and constructing hiding places while waiting for them to return.
He would eat meals, watch television, and collect trophies prior to committing his assaults, which included rape and indecent acts, often while masked and armed with a shotgun.
His manhunt involved 200 police officers.
Fairley was apprehended in September 1984 at his residence in Kentish Town, north London, after forensic evidence connected his vehicle to an assault.
At the time of his capture, Fairley had amassed 81 criminal offenses.
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