A school teacher has been handed a whole life order for the murder and sexual abuse of his adopted 13-month-old baby, whom he treated as a “plaything”.
Details of the Case
Jamie Varley, 37, a former head of year at a high school, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, an ex-public schoolboy and sales manager, sexually assaulted and physically abused Preston Davey after adopting him at nine months old. The abuse culminated in Preston's murder following a sexual assault by Varley four months later at their Blackpool home.
Sentencing
McGowan-Fazakerley was also jailed for 25 years for allowing Preston’s death, which occurred on April 27, 2023. Both were convicted by a jury on Monday after an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Turner stated that Preston had faced “unremitting abuse” and neglect before being killed by Varley during a sex attack. Turning to Varley, he said: “It was you who did this. You murdered him. A whole life order is a sentence of last resort for cases of the most extreme gravity. This is a case of the most extreme gravity. You must stay in prison for the rest of your life. You will never be eligible for parole.”
Background
Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order from Oldham Council and placed into foster care at five days old. Ms Davey, when she was 14, had been jailed for the “unspeakably wicked” murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 and had been in and out of prison since then.
Varley, wearing a purple V-neck T-shirt, looked gaunt and sat with hands folded on his lap, looking straight ahead and making no reaction to the sentence.
