Teacher guilty of abusing and murdering adopted 13-month-old baby boy

Preston died in July 2023 at just 13 months old.

He had been taken from his mother after an emergency care order by Oldham Council.

His mother, Sarah Davey, had been jailed for the “unspeakably wicked” murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 at the age of 14 and has been in and out of prison since.

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption and at nine months old Preston began living at their home in Blackpool in April 2023.

Preston Crown Court were told how in just under four months Preston was in their care, he was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries

Varley was found guilty of murder, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photo.

McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

Following an eight-week trial a jury spent around 14 hours considering verdicts before it returned to court to deliver verdicts.

Varley stood in the dock and put his hands to his face in shock as the guilty verdicts were read.

He then collapsed to his knees, wretching and vomiting.

Karen Tonge, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “This has been one of the most shocking and horrific cases I have dealt with in my career.

“Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley had a responsibility to care for and protect baby Preston. They violated that responsibility and 13-month-old Preston was abused with sickening ease.

“It is difficult to comprehend how the very people who should have loved him could inflict such sickening physical and sexual harm on an innocent child.

“No child should have to go through what Preston went through in the last four months of his short life and I cannot begin to imagine the toll this has taken on those that loved Preston. My thoughts remain with them all.”

Preston Davey had been taken to hospital three times, was seen by a “battery of professionals”, and police were even called, in the weeks before his death.

Social workers, teachers, doctors and nurses all saw Preston, a “highly visible” looked-after child, Preston Crown Court was told.

A Child Safeguarding Practice Review, launched by Oldham Council after the baby’s death, was paused during criminal proceedings and is expected to recommence after the conclusion of the trial.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter