A Lancashire couple has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and sexual abuse of their adopted baby, Preston Davey. Jamie Varley, 35, and John McGowan-Fazakerley, 38, were found guilty of Preston's murder and a string of child sex abuse charges.
Preston, who was just 21 months old when he tragically died in 2020, was adopted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in 2019. An investigation by the police revealed that the couple had subjected Preston to 'extreme physical and emotional abuse', which ultimately led to his death.
During the trial, it emerged that Preston suffered from multiple injuries, including broken bones, and was also subjected to sexual abuse. The prosecution argued that the couple's actions were 'planned and premeditated', and that they had deliberately set out to harm Preston.
The case has sent shockwaves through the adoption community, with many calling for greater safeguarding measures to be put in place to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
The judge, Mrs Justice Yip, described the couple's actions as 'utterly despicable' and stated that they had 'broken the trust' of the adoption process. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley will serve a minimum of 26 years in prison before they are eligible for parole.