Adoptive dad sentenced to life in prison for murder and abuse of 13-month-old son
One of the adoptive fathers of Preston Davey has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder and abuse of the 13-month-old.
Jamie Varley, 37, from Blackpool, has been sentenced to a whole life order after being convicted of the murder and sexual assault of Preston Davey.
He will never be eligible for parole.
Judge Mr Justice Turner took just over an hour to consider the sentence and said in Preston Crown Court that he had subjected Preston to "unremittent abuse and neglect."
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He continued, as reported by Sky News and the BBC: "Preston was noted to be a healthy baby when he was entrusted to your care.
"You, Varley, were primarily responsible for the daytime care of Preston.
"Unfortunately Preston proved to be restless at night, otherwise he was described as a dream to care for.
"I’m sure that your growing and selfish resentment towards Preston played at least some part in treating him so badly in the weeks that followed.
"Your professional background as a teacher and charm and easy manner did much to reassure social workers that all was well, clearly it was not..
The Judge added: "Preston was having a seizure. You videoed it. I’m sure it was caused by your further abuse.
"His lips were blue. He was plainly in need of urgent medical attention.
"You were the only person with Preston that afternoon. It was you. You murdered him.
"The seriousness of your offending is exceptionally high and the appropriate starting point is whole life order.
“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 will never be eligible for parole. You will stay in prison for the rest of your life."
His partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was found guilty of allowing a child to die and sexual assault and has been sentenced to 25 years.
A spokesperson for the government said it was a "sickening case of evil abusers exploiting a vulnerable child" and confirmed an independent review.
"An independent review has been commissioned by the local authorities and the independent national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel will work with them to get to the bottom of this horrifying case," the spokesperson said.
"The reviewer will publish their findings as soon as possible."
Varley, a high-school teacher, adopted Preston Davey at nine months old with his partner, ex-public schoolboy and financial sales manager McGowan-Fazakerley, in April 2023.
The pair were convicted on Monday (15 June) after an eight-week trial.
In the four months he was in their care, Preston was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, and was sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries.
Varley, who took a year off from his job as a high school head of year for the adoption, 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.
The trial heard Preston had been taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital three times in the months before his death, on April 27 2023, and was seen by a “battery of professionals” during his life, including multiple social workers, health visitors and medics.
A social services investigation is under way.
Preston Davey's mother's victim statement
Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order by Oldham Council.
Speaking in court earlier on Thursday, Sarah, who was in tears during the sentencing, read her victim statement to the court.
"The second he was placed in my arms, I fell completely in love with him. He was my baby, my only son, and from that day on I never wanted to let him go," she said.
"For the first seven months of his life, I was lucky enough to spend precious time with him. He had the most beautiful smile, one that could light up any room, and the bond we shared was something everyone could see.
"Those memories should have brought me comfort - but instead, they are now mixed with pain, because I know what you put him through in his final months."
Sarah continued: "My world ended. A part of me died with him.
"But what makes it even more unbearable is knowing that his death was not an accident - it was something cruel, something he did not deserve, something that should never have been allowed to happen.
"I'd always wanted to have him christened and this is something I prayed you would do for him, we had to do this when he was dead, a day which should be a celebration, was another day of mourning, suffering and filled with sadness.
"I will never forgive you for what you did to my son and what you stopped him from becoming and achieving in his life."
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.
Daniel Murphy