Thirteen-month-old Preston Davey's life was brutally cut short when he was murdered by his soon-to-be adoptive father, teacher Jamie Varley. The baby endured horrific physical and sexual abuse in a case detectives described as a 'harrowing tale of misery and pain'.
Guilty Verdicts
Jamie Varley, 37, was found guilty of murder, two counts of assault by penetration, four counts of cruelty, grievous bodily harm, and 14 charges related to making and taking indecent images. His partner, salesman John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child, two counts of cruelty, and sexual assault.
The couple were in the process of adopting Preston when the baby collapsed at their home in Staining Road, Blackpool, while in Varley's sole care on July 27, 2023.
A History of Abuse
Preston, described as 'just beautiful' by his foster carers, was placed with the defendants at nine months old. Over the next four months, he was treated like a 'plaything' and subjected to physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by Varley, a former head of year at South Shore Academy in Blackpool.
The trial heard that Preston suffered 40 traumatic injuries, including multiple fingertip bruises on his head, face, and limbs, slap marks on his leg, and a human bite mark on his right buttock. He also had injuries consistent with sexual abuse. On at least nine occasions, medical or safeguarding professionals were alerted to concerns about Preston, but the alarm was never raised.
McGowan-Fazakerley knew of the risk posed to Preston and did nothing to stop the ill-treatment, a failure that cost the baby his life.
The Final Day
On July 27, 2023, McGowan-Fazakerley arrived home from work to find Preston seriously unwell. The baby was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital but was unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Medics worked for 50 minutes but could not save him.
Varley initially claimed Preston had fallen from a bath seat, but a post-mortem found 40 non-accidental injuries. Dr Alison Armour said there were unequivocal signs of sexual abuse in the hours before his death. The cause of death was acute upper airways obstruction by an object or objects inserted into his mouth.
Evidence of Evil
Detectives recovered evidence that Varley confessed to a fellow teacher about having 'dark thoughts' of suffocating or drowning Preston. He also sent a text to his sister calling the child 'dead meat'. Indecent photos and videos of the abuse were found, some of which 'cannot be unseen'.
Four days before his death, Varley took photos of Preston during a sexual assault. Ninety minutes before the hospital dash, he recorded a video of Preston in extreme distress, hardly breathing.
DCI Andy Fallows of Lancashire Police said: 'It is not often in this job that you encounter pure evil. Almost from day one, they set about abusing Preston and making his short life a harrowing tale of misery and pain.'
Sentencing
Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were remanded into custody to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on June 18. Preston's birth mother sobbed in the public gallery as the verdicts were delivered.
