A former teacher, Jamie Varley, has been told he will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of his adopted 13-month-old son, Preston Davey. The 37-year-old, from Blackpool, subjected the infant to a horrific four months of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse before Preston's death in July 2023.
Mr Justice Turner, in passing sentence, described Preston's ordeal as “unremitting abuse” and neglect, culminating in his murder during a sexual assault. He told Varley directly, “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.” This rare sentence means Varley will never be released from prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.
Varley's partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was also sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child. Varley had initially claimed Preston accidentally drowned in a bath, but a subsequent post-mortem examination revealed the child had suffered 40 injuries, exposing the extent of the abuse.
The court heard heart-wrenching victim impact statements from Preston’s biological family. His mother, Sarah Davey, spoke of the “unimaginable pain of wondering” what her son endured in his final months, stating, “The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life. I will never forgive you for what you did to my son.” Preston’s biological father, Gary Nolan, recounted collapsing and waking in hospital after hearing the news, describing Preston as “the son that I never got to meet and now never will.”
Preston was taken into care just five days after his birth in June 2022 following an emergency order by Oldham Council, and spent the first nine months of his life with foster parents. Sandra Cooper, Preston’s foster mum, tearfully described him as “joyful, so content and happy, with sparkly smiling eyes.” Her husband, Paul, expressed the profound difficulty of handing Preston over to Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in April 2023, believing he was going to a loving family. Tragically, in the four months he was in their care, Preston was repeatedly ill-treated, sexually abused, and physically assaulted, leading to his death.
Before his death, Preston was taken to hospital three times for various injuries, including a nosebleed, seizure, a rash with bruising, and a fractured left elbow. These incidents, described as non-accidental “cluster” injuries, indicated a pattern of abuse that ultimately led to the infant's murder.
Source: Manchester Evening News