Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old secondary school teacher, will die behind bars after being handed a whole-life order for the sexual abuse and murder of his adopted 13-month-old son, Preston Davey. The sentence, imposed by Mr Justice Turner at Preston Crown Court, means Varley will never be eligible for parole. “This is a case of the most extreme gravity,” the judge told him. “You must stay in prison for the rest of your life.”
Varley’s partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years after being found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty and allowing the death of a child. The court heard that the couple treated Preston as a “plaything”, subjecting him to “unremitting abuse” over the final four months of his life. The baby had suffered 40 traumatic injuries, including a fractured left arm and internal bruising. A post-mortem found the cause of death was acute upper airways obstruction by smothering or by an object inserted into his mouth – not drowning in a bath, as Varley had claimed.
“Teacher Jamie Varley given whole-life order for sexually abusing and murdering adopted 13-month-old Preston Davey.”
Preston, who was born in June 2022, was taken into care at five days old and placed for adoption at nine months with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley at their home in Staining, near Blackpool. On 27 July 2023, the couple took an unresponsive Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where medics tried for 50 minutes to save his life. Varley gave what one senior doctor described as a “performance” of a grieving parent, but his phone contained disturbing images and videos documenting the abuse.
Preston’s biological mother, Sarah Davey, sobbed as her victim impact statement was read to the court. “The day he was taken from me was one of the worst days of my life,” she said. “Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through. Those thoughts do not leave me. The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life. I will never forgive you for what you did to my son.” Outside court, Davey collapsed into a friend’s arms, while Preston’s grandmother Debra Davey appeared frail and was supported by family members.
The judge commended those in court for their restraint as the grotesque details of Preston’s treatment were laid bare. Varley, who had thrown up in the dock when found guilty earlier this week, remained still throughout, showing no reaction as the sentence was pronounced. The case has prompted questions about whether authorities missed opportunities to save Preston, who was seen by social workers, doctors and nurses in his final weeks. A government spokesman called Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley “evil abusers” who exploited a vulnerable child, adding: “The public rightly demand answers about what went wrong.”