Meta description: Former teacher Jamie Varley will never be released from prison after being convicted of murdering and abusing 13-month-old Preston Davey.
Former secondary school teacher Jamie Varley has been ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder and abuse of 13-month-old Preston Davey, a baby he and his partner were preparing to adopt.
Varley, 37, received a whole-life order at Preston Crown Court on June 18, 2026. The sentence means that he will never be eligible for parole. His former partner, 32-year-old John McGowan-Fazakerley, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of allowing Preston’s death, child cruelty and sexual assault.
The sentences followed an eight-week trial that examined the final four months of Preston’s life. The court heard that the baby had been healthy and happy while living with temporary foster carers. He was formally placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in April 2023 as part of the adoption process.
Instead of receiving the safe and stable home he needed, Preston was repeatedly harmed while in the couple’s care.
A false account of a bathtub accident

On July 27, 2023, Preston was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Medical professionals attempted to save him, but he was pronounced dead later that evening.
Varley initially told police that Preston had accidentally drowned after being left alone in a bathtub. Medical and forensic evidence did not support that explanation. A post-mortem examination concluded that Preston had died from acute upper airway obstruction, which could have been caused by smothering or by an object blocking his airway.
The examination also identified approximately 40 external and internal injuries. Prosecutors said the injuries demonstrated a sustained pattern of physical and sexual abuse during the months Preston lived with the defendants.
Digital evidence became an important part of the case. Police recovered illegal photographs and videos from Varley’s phone, along with material showing incidents of cruelty. Prosecutors combined that evidence with medical findings and expert testimony to establish what had happened to Preston and to challenge the account of an accidental drowning.
Convictions and sentences
On June 15, 2026, the jury found Varley guilty of murder and numerous related offences, including child cruelty, grievous bodily harm, sexual offences and offences involving indecent images of a child.
McGowan-Fazakerley was not convicted of murder. He was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, two child-cruelty offences and sexual assault.
When imposing the whole-life order, the judge described Varley’s crimes as being of the most extreme gravity. Such sentences are reserved for exceptionally serious cases and ensure that the offender remains imprisoned for life.
McGowan-Fazakerley’s 25-year sentence reflected his role in the abuse and his failure to protect Preston. Reports from the sentencing hearing stated that he must serve at least two-thirds of that term before he can be considered for release.
Questions beyond the courtroom
Although the criminal proceedings have concluded at the trial-court level, the case has generated wider concern about the systems responsible for protecting children in care and adoption placements.
During his final months, Preston had contact with medical professionals, social services and police. He was taken to hospital more than once, and bruising and other injuries were observed. On at least one occasion, records reportedly described injuries that did not appear consistent with the explanation provided.
Nevertheless, Preston was returned to the couple’s home.
Oldham Council has resumed an independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review that had been paused during the criminal trial. The review is expected to examine the work of all agencies involved, whether warning signs were missed and whether different action could have protected Preston.
England’s Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has called the case a failure of the state and the safeguarding system. She has said the review must determine whether Preston’s death could have been prevented.
The sentences ensure that Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley are held criminally responsible. The next stage is to establish how a child placed under official protection was left in danger and what must change to prevent another similar tragedy.