Summary

  • Warning: This live page contains distressing information

  • Jamie Varley and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, are set to be sentenced over the death and sexual abuse of 13-month-old Preston Davey

  • He was adopted by the pair in 2023 and was routinely abused for months before he died on 27 July

  • After an eight-week trial, Varley, 37, was found guilty of murder, sexual assault, and a raft of other child sex offences

  • McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, 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

  • Police described the two men as "pure evil", and said they made the baby's short life a "harrowing tale of misery and pain"

Live Reporting

Edited by Rachael Lazaro and Ewan Gawne, with Lauren Hirst and Jonny Humphries

  1. Preston Davey case a 'massive safeguarding failure'

    Jonny Humphries
    North West

    Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel De Souza has told the BBC Preston Davey's murder was a “massive safeguarding failure”.

    She promised to pursue the question of whether it was preventable with “that baby’s broken body at the front of my mind”.

    Rachel De Souza, who has straight brown hair and is wearing a dark blue blouse, sits in a radio studio wearing black headphones and speaking into a green microphone with the BBC Radio 4 logo printed on it.

    Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme ahead of the sentencing of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley, she said: "We know that very early into his adoption, and he was only in adoption with his family for four months, very early, he was taken to hospital with bruises.

    “The consultant dismissed it. Did they dismiss it because it was a teacher adopter?

    “Did that evil abuser hoodwink people under that professional guise?

    “The social worker saw him 20 days before he died, I want to know whether the correct level of professional curiosity was there."

    I have huge numbers of questions, and I’m not going to let go until I have the answers.

  2. What happened before baby boy's death

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  3. Police found Varley's behaviour 'almost pantomime'

    Jamie Varley protests his innocence while being questioned by police

    Preston Davey's killer begged medics at Blackpool Victoria Hospital to save the 13-month-old's life.

    Jamie Varley told medical staff he had left the child in the bath for two or three minutes and returned to find him submerged, but the court heard from police that his account was "wholly inconsistent".

    Det Ch Insp Andy Fallows, senior investigating officer, said Varley's behaviour in hospital was "almost like a pantomime".

    "We see a very different Jamie Varley at different stages," said Fallows.

    "We saw a very different Jamie Varley in the suspect interviews on 25 June 2025 just before he was charged, both in terms of appearance, demeanour and attitude."

    "I think we saw a different Jamie Varley giving evidence during his trial: obstructive, wholly inconsistent and wholly unbelievable. Jamie Varley is a manipulator."

    Det Ch Insp Andy Fallows

  4. Case adjourned for judge to consider sentence

    Danny Savage
    North of England correspondent

    Varley’s submissions are brief, with his lawyer asking the judge to consider a minimum term rather than a whole life order.

    The judge is now rising and says he will "take his time" to consider the sentence.

    In broad terms he says it will likely take him about an hour before he comes back.

    He has now adjourned the hearing.

  5. Varley 'brilliant with students in teaching role'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Johnson KC, defending, reminds the court Jamie Varley was a former teacher at South Shore Academy in Blackpool.

    He says his client was "brilliant in his pastoral role and with his students and delayed his adoption to be with his students".

  6. 'Varley had sexual motive'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    The court is now hearing from Nicholas Johnson KC, on behalf of Jamie Varley.

    Johnson tells the court that whole-life orders should be for "exceptionally serious cases".

    He suggests factors in this case should mean a sentence short of a whole life order.

    Jamie Varley, he suggested, did not have an "outright intent to kill" but a sexual motive.

  7. 'I tell myself this is not real or possible'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Paul Cooper, Preston's foster dad, continues: "In 2023 we found out about Preston’s death via a social worker.

    "This was less than four months after he had left us.

    "Since this over the past few years we have had to find out what really happened to Preston in 'dribs and drabs'.

    "This has devastated me - fostering Preston felt like he was my own child and to hear the cruel things that happened to him in such a short space of time has emotionally and physically drained me.

    "Even to this day I tell myself this is not real or possible, then reality hits and it breaks me again to think about the suffering Preston went through.

    "I have found that this has affected me personally - since this I find myself waking up three or four times during the night thinking about Preston.

    "Sometimes I can be awake for hours thinking about it.

    "I never thought I was an emotional person, however, these past three years I haven't gone through a week without crying, sometimes it might not be anything to do with Preston or this case however, I just become upset over little things."

    Baby with hand in his mouthHandout

  8. 'Preston's smile was infectious and he brightened up my day'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Preston's foster dad Paul Cooper is now reading his victim impact statement to the court.

    "In 2022 myself and Sandra fostered Preston from five days old and brought him up as our own, as we always do with all our foster children.

    "Preston was an absolute pleasure to look after, he was the most amazing little boy who lit up the room as you walked into it.

    "He was so small and vulnerable you couldn't help but love him immediately.

    "Preston's smile was infectious and he brightened up my day from the second he woke up.

    "We built a strong bond with him during his time with us.

    "We fostered Preston until he was... nearly 10 months old.

    "By this time he had developed his little personality and was thriving.

    "Saying goodbye to him and handing him over to Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley was extremely difficult.

    "However, we believed at the time that this was the best thing for Preston and he was going to a loving family. What happened after this I still cannot bear to think about."

  9. 'I often dream about Preston'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Sandra Cooper, Preston's foster mum, continues and says she and her husband will struggle when children they foster in future are placed with permanent adoptive parents.

    "Paul and I will often watch the videos we took of Preston when he was happy with us laughing and giggling, playing with his toys smiling", she said.

    "Preston's face would light up when we looked at him; he was joyful, so content and happy, with sparkly smiling eyes.That is how we want to remember him."

    She said she often dreams about Preston and feels he is still alive, but "when I wake up I realise he has died and I go through the trauma again of knowing he has died and how."

    "I just want to see his smiling happy face again. I am devastated about his death and I struggle when I think about what pain and torture he has been through before he died."

  10. 'We foster in Preston's memory'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Sandra Cooper, Preston's foster mum, is in the witness box and is reading her statement to the court.

    Preston's death has had a huge impact upon our lives. Preston was going to be the last child we fostered; however, we could not retire after Preston died.

    Sandra's voice is breaking as she reads her statement.

    "We felt we had a duty to other children and could not sit back and enjoy ourselves knowing that other children were being abused, mistreated and could die.

    "My husband Paul and I have continued to foster children to protect them. We are doing this for Preston, in his memory.

    "Preston's death has changed my perspective on life; things I once felt were important I now feel are not. I realise that life is too short."

    Mural for Preston

  11. 'I was having nightmares about Preston after hearing about the autopsy'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    The statement, read out on behalf of Preston's biological father, continues: "I learnt of Preston’s passing from the police, a day I remember so well, it was just awful.

    "Two female officers came to see me and informed me that Preston had been killed and that two men had been bailed pending an investigation.

    "Due to legal matters a lot of information was withheld from me.

    "Upon hearing the news, I remember officers taking hold of me and me blanking out, the next thing I recall is waking up in hospital two days later.

    "I am told that I was hysterical and crying and that it was for my own safety that I was taken to the hospital, clearly, I must have been in a bad place mentally.

    "Upon being discharged from hospital, I turned to drink, which I knew wasn’t the answer, but I felt anxious about everything.

    I was having nightmares about Preston after hearing about the autopsy. These included seeing some horrific images in my mind. The only thing that got me off the alcohol was when I started throwing up blood, at that point I knew that I needed help. Prior to that I didn’t realise just how hard hearing the news of Preston had hit me.

    Court sketch of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-FazakerleyElizabeth Cook

    I am thankful to the church community that they have supported me, and I am now in a better place mentally and tee-total. Despite that I am still, to this day, on anti-depressants and anxiety tablets, things that have only been required following my release from hospital.

  12. 'Preston was the son that I never got to meet'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    A statement on behalf of Gary Nolan, Preston's biological father, was read to the court.

    He said:"Preston was the son that I never got to meet and now never will.

    "Following Preston’s birth and being confirmed as his father I was awaiting an appointment with social services.

    "The appointment would have been my opportunity to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ to Preston, all within the space of an hour before he was taken away. This is what kept me going and made me feel happy that I would get to meet my son.

    "Despite my efforts to push for this meeting, it never took place."

    Preston Davey in an orange baby growHandout

  13. 'You deserved to be with the people who loved you'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    The statement from Sarah Davey continues:

    "Preston should be here today. He would be four years old. He should be getting ready to start school, learning, laughing, and living his life.

    "Instead, he is forever thirteen months old.

    "I am left trying to live a life that no longer makes sense. I carry grief, guilt, and heartbreak every single day.

    To my beautiful blue-eyed boy, Preston you were, and always will be, loved beyond words. I wanted you with me every single day. We all did. Your Nanna fought so hard for you, and you deserved to be with the people who loved you.

  14. 'I will never forgive you for what you did to my son'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Sarah Davey's statement continued: "I will never forgive you for what you did to my son and what you stopped him from becoming and achieving in his life.

    "Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through.

    "Those thoughts do not leave me.

    "They are with me when I wake up, and they haunt me when I try to sleep.

    "The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life."

  15. Preston's birth mother says 'he was perfect'

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    Now the court is hearing victim impact statements.

    A statement from Preston's birth mother, Sarah Davey, is read to the court on her behalf by Peter Wright KC. She is visibly emotional as her words are spoken by the prosecutor.

    Preston Paul Arlo Davey was perfect from the moment he was born. 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.

    Preston Davey smiles at the cameraHandout

    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.

  16. Varley faced extreme pornography charges

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    The court hears how there were further charges of extreme pornography in relation to Jamie Varley but it was ruled there was no public interest in pursuing these.

    The judge agrees that handsets - seized as part of the investigation - that have images shown to the jury will be destroyed.

    The trial heard Varley had "hundreds if not thousands" of images and videos, a proportion of which included naked images of Preston and other disturbing and distressing evidence

  17. Judge weighing up type of life sentence

    Danny Savage
    North of England correspondent

    Prosecutor Peter Wright KC is continuing to talk about statutory sentencing guidelines.

    The judge confirms there will be a life sentence (as is standard for murder convictions) but he will have to decide whether it should carry a minimum prison term before Varley can apply for parole, or whether there could be a whole-life order.

    He makes the point that the count of murder clearly carries the heaviest weight.

    Sentences for all the different charges will be concurrent; e.g. not all added together to give a total.

    Wright acknowledges that any aggravating and mitigating factors will be taken into account.

  18. McGowan-Fazakerley 'must have seen the injuries'

    John McGowan-Fazakerley, a financial sales manager, was at work on the day Preston died.

    Police said he had been taking a "hear no evil, see no evil" approach to his partner's abuse of the child.

    A mugshot of John McGowan-FazakerleyLancashire Police

    "He saw and cared for Preston Davey on a daily basis," said Det Ch Insp Andy Fallows.

    "He must have seen a significant amount of injuries over that four-month period. He knew that Preston had suffered a fracture to his arm.

    "He must have seen bite marks to Preston Davey's buttocks because photographic evidence was taken with his mobile phone.

    He wasn't there on the evening, but he should have known."

    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.

  19. Sentencing hearing under way

    Danny Savage
    North of England correspondent

    Mr Justice Turner, the judge in the case, has now entered the court room and will hear submissions before he makes his sentencing remarks.

    Peter Wright KC, who prosecuted the case, is the first to address the judge.

    He is talking about the length of prison sentence for Varley and mentions guidelines which could include a full life term or a minimum sentence of 30 years.

    Some context; it is standard procedure for the prosecution to walk through sentencing guidelines with the judge in this sort of hearing.

  20. Preston's biological mother and foster parent in court

    Yunus Mulla
    BBC North West Tonight

    In the front row of the public gallery are Preston's foster parent Sandra Cooper and his biological mother Sarah Davey.

    Preston, who was born in June 2022, was taken into care at five days old following an emergency care order by Oldham Council.

    He was placed with foster parents, remaining with them for the first nine months of his life.

    Preston's mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, had been jailed at the age of 14 for the murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 and had been in and out of prison since then.

    Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption in January 2023 and Preston began living at their home in Blackpool in April 2023, when he was nine months old.

    Preston DaveyLancashire Police