Former Teacher Jamie Varley Given Whole Life Order for Murder and Sexual Assault of Adopted Baby 

A former teacher who sexually abused and murdered his 13-month-old adopted son has been handed a whole life order, meaning he will never be released from prison.

Jamie Varley, 37, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court for the murder of Preston Davey, who died on 27 July 2023 after suffering 40 traumatic injuries during four months of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years after being convicted of sexual assault, child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Turner told Varley: “It was you who did this. You murdered him.”

Read more: Jamie Varley Convicted Of Abusing And Murdering Preston Davey: Teacher Standing Trial For Heinous Crimes

The judge described the case as one of “the most extreme gravity” and said a whole life order was required as a sentence of last resort.

“You must stay in prison for the rest of your life. You will never be eligible for parole,” he added.

Varley, of Staining near Blackpool, had claimed the toddler accidentally drowned in a bath. A post-mortem examination ruled out drowning and found injuries consistent with forcible penetration and sexual abuse.

The court heard Preston was subjected to prolonged and persistent cruelty, neglect and sadistic behaviour in the home he shared with the couple following his adoption in April 2023.

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Mr Justice Turner said Preston was “particularly vulnerable due to his extreme youth” and that the abuse exposed him to a high likelihood of psychological, developmental and emotional harm.

He noted aggravating features including the gross abuse of trust placed in the men as adoptive parents, the pattern of repeated assaults, and the mental and physical suffering inflicted before death.

Varley was also convicted of grievous bodily harm, cruelty to a child, and making, taking and distributing indecent images of Preston. McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted alongside him on the cruelty and sexual assault charges.

The pair had denied all charges but were convicted following an eight-week trial.

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Preston was born in June 2022 and taken into care at five days old by Oldham Council. He spent his first nine months with foster parents before being placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, who had been approved as adopters in January 2023.

During his time in their care, Preston was taken to hospital on three occasions with injuries including a nosebleed and seizure, a rash and bruising, and a fractured elbow.

On the day of his death, Varley told medics at Blackpool Victoria Hospital he had left the child alone in the bath for two to three minutes. Paramedics were unable to revive him.

Evidence presented in court included a video recorded by Varley 90 minutes before the emergency call showing Preston in extreme distress.

A child safeguarding practice review by Oldham Council, paused during the criminal proceedings, is to be relaunched. The Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Josh MacAlister, said he had instructed independent experts to examine the case, including the roles of the council, hospital trust and adoption agency.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Preston’s biological mother Sarah Davey said she lived with the “unimaginable pain of wondering” what her son endured.

“Those thoughts do not leave me. They are with me when I wake up, and they haunt me when I try to sleep,” she said.

“I will never forgive you for what you did to my son and what you stopped him from becoming and achieving in his life.”

Preston’s biological father Gary Nolan said in a statement: “Preston was the son that I never got to meet and now never will.”

Foster mother Sandra Cooper described the baby as “joyful, so content and happy, with sparkly smiling eyes”, while her husband Paul spoke of the difficulty in handing him over to his adoptive parents.

Lancashire Police said their investigation found no prior evidence of the men having a sexual interest in children.

A spokesperson for Oldham Council said: “The death of any child is a tragedy, but this is a particularly heart-wrenching and disturbing case.”

Adoption Now, the regional adoption agency, said it followed a “strict and rigorous process” in assessing adopters and expressed its thoughts for those affected.