Jamie Varley, a former head of year at a high school, was handed a whole-life order for the murder and sexual abuse of 13-month-old Preston Davey, whom he had adopted with his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley. Varley inflicted 'unremitting abuse' on the child before a final fatal sexual assault, Preston Crown Court heard. McGowan-Fazakerley was jailed for 25 years for allowing the abuse and participating in it. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows of Lancashire Police said: 'Jamie Varley is an evil and monstrous individual who sexually, physically and mentally abused a vulnerable baby for his own sadistic pleasure.'
Vickrum Digwa: Murder of Henry Nowak
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for a minimum of 21 years for murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton. Digwa stabbed Nowak with a ceremonial knife, then lied to police that Nowak had racially attacked him, leading officers to handcuff the victim as he lay dying. Judge William Mousley KC said Digwa had brought 'shame upon your family, your community and your religion' and stirred up racial tension.
Other Notable Sentences
Helen Tillcock was jailed for six and a half years for stabbing her neighbour Sarah Hodges 11 times in a 'frenzied' attack. Zulkernain Ahmed received a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years for mowing down 16-year-old Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb on a pavement. Anwar Ashraf was jailed for 26 years for stabbing his ex-partner Carla Skeites 17 times at her workplace. Emma Barnett was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years for poisoning her one-year-old son Oakley with prescription medications added to milk. Clifton George received a life sentence with a minimum of 23 years for stabbing his partner Annabel Rook 31 times and then blowing up their home. Stefania Glowka was jailed for eight years for strangling her elderly mother Tamara with a belt on Christmas morning. Peter Murrell, former SNP chief executive, was jailed for five years and three months for embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. Metropolitan Police officer Dion Arnold was jailed for 25 years for a series of rapes and sexual assaults. Janice Nix was jailed for 12 years for killing a five-year-old girl by scalding her in a hot bath in 1978. Mohammad Tajik and Alnour Ali became the first people sentenced for endangering others during a Channel crossing. Sarah Ngaba was jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for murdering her seven-week-old daughter Eliza. Dylan Phelan was jailed for six years and four months for encouraging a vulnerable US man to kill himself on a video call.
Impact and Aftermath
Many of these cases have left lasting trauma on victims' families and communities. Henry Nowak's family called for urgent action on knife crime, while Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb's family described him as a 'purely innocent boy'. The sentences reflect the severity of the crimes, with several offenders receiving life terms or long minimum sentences.
