Martin Frizell, the husband of TV presenter Fiona Phillips and an ITV producer, has described the latest episode of his true crime podcast as the 'toughest recording we've ever had to make.' Co-hosting the This Much Is True Crime podcast with Professor David Wilson, a criminologist, Frizell discussed the horrific case of 13-month-old Preston Davey, who was abused and murdered after being adopted by two men, Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley.
Details of the Case
Varley, a 37-year-old teacher from Blackpool, was sentenced to a whole life order for murder and sexual abuse, including 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child. Frizell described some of the photos as 'obscene' and 'sickening.' Baby Preston suffered progressive abuse encompassing psychological torture, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and ultimately murder. Varley's partner, McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was sentenced to 25 years after being found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty, and allowing Preston's death.
Podcast Episode Reactions
In an Instagram post announcing the new episode, Frizell stated: 'It's the toughest recording we've ever had to make. The abuse and murder of baby Preston Davey at the hands of one of the UK’s most deprived sadists Jamie Varley and his accomplice partner was so shocking even our experienced Professor of Criminology struggled to comprehend. There’s a special place in hell reserved for these two!'
Professor Wilson commented on the difficulty of discussing the case, saying: 'We've actually been thinking, 'How do we talk about this?' And even the reporting that's been done on it has been mild. Even now I'm just considering, 'Shall I just share how he dies?'' Frizell replied: 'Probably not. I think people can probably work it out themselves.'
Public Outcry
Listeners reacted strongly to the episode. One wrote: 'The poor sweet boy never stood a chance. I followed the case and then after found out the circumstances that put him into care - it's so tragic.' Another added: 'I have sleepless nights over the horror this beautiful baby boy endured, it's just disgusting and heartbreaking.' A third listener commented: 'Sick to my stomach every time I see a photo of beautiful baby Preston. Heartbroken with what these two monsters did to him, absolutely vile. I really hope they rot in hell.'
