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Jun 24, 2026

Baby Preston’s 4-month hell laid bare - 40 injuries, abuse and death

Baby Preston’s 4-month hell laid bare - 40 injuries, abuse and death at hands of teacher

(WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT) Jamie Varley, the adoptive father of Preston Davey, killed the 13-month-old baby after a series of grim attacks.

Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add as a preferred source on Google Add us as preferred source Comments By Ewan Gleadow 16:29, Thu, Jun 18, 2026 Updated: 16:32, Thu, Jun 18, 2026

Jamie Varley

Jamie Varley has been handed a whole life order for the abuse of Preston Davey (Image: (Lancashire Police/PA Wire))

Paedophile Jamie Varley has been sentenced to a rare whole life order for the murder and sexual abuse of his adopted baby, Preston Davey. Former schoolteacher Varley, 37, inflicted "unremitting abuse" on 13-month-old Preston before a final, fatal, sexual assault took his life, Preston Crown Court heard.

Varley's partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was also convicted of sexual assault, child cruelty and allowing the death of a child. McGowan-Fazakerley was sentenced to 25 years behind bars. It was during the four-month period before Preston’s death on July 27, 2023, and while he was in the care of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, that all the criminal offences against him took place.

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Preston Davey

Preston Davey's killer has been jailed for life (Image: Lancashire Police)

A video taken on April 23, 2023, recovered from Varley’s phone following his arrest, showed Preston had bruising to his head. This indicated he had been the victim of physical cruelty at an earlier period, Lancashire Police say.

On May 5, 2023, Varley took more indecent images and an indecent video of Preston. The indecent video was shared with McGowan-Fazakerley via Snapchat.

On June 15, 2023, Varley messaged McGowan-Fazakerley to note a potential medical episode suffered by Preston. Videos later recovered from his mobile phone indicated he instead subjected him to psychological cruelty by deliberately keeping him awake.

Separate images taken by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley on June 16, 2023, which was Preston’s first birthday,  indicated Preston had been the victim of physical cruelty.  The autopsy carried out on Preston notes that, in total, he was subject to 40 separate injuries.

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