Jamie Varley presented himself as a respected secondary school teacher and head of year. Behind closed doors he subjected a 13-month-old baby boy he was adopting to months of sustained physical, sexual and emotional abuse that ended in the child’s death.

Varley, 37, was given a whole-life prison sentence at Preston Crown Court in June 2026, meaning he will never be released. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, received 25 years for sexual abuse, child cruelty and allowing the death of a child.

A Baby Taken into Care and Then Placed with the Couple
Preston Davey was born four weeks premature to a mother who was serving a prison sentence. He spent his first nine months with experienced foster parents who described him as a happy, contented baby. At nine months old he was placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley through an adoption agency.

Within a short time the abuse began. The court heard that Preston was treated as a “plaything.” Over the months that followed he suffered around 40 traumatic injuries, including external and internal bruising and a fractured arm. He was taken to hospital three times. Each time the explanations offered by the couple were accepted and the baby was returned to their care.

The Final Attack
On 27 July 2023 the couple arrived at hospital with an unresponsive Preston. Medical staff worked for 50 minutes but could not save him. Varley claimed he had left the baby briefly in the bath and returned to find him submerged. The medical evidence contradicted that account: the child’s hair was dry, he was still wearing a nappy, and there was no sign he had swallowed water.

A pathologist concluded the cause of death was acute upper airways obstruction caused by smothering or objects forced into the baby’s mouth. Police later recovered disturbing images and videos from Varley’s phone that documented the abuse.

Safeguarding Questions
The case has raised serious questions about how a child under the supervision of social services, doctors and nurses could suffer such prolonged abuse without effective intervention. A child safeguarding practice review was paused during the criminal trial and has since resumed. Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza described the death as a “massive safeguarding failure” and questioned whether Varley’s professional status as a teacher led agencies to place too much trust in him.

Detectives who investigated the case described Varley as “evil” and “monstrous.” Senior investigating officer DCI Andy Fallows said it was one of the most challenging inquiries his team had ever handled and an extreme example of “sordid and wicked behaviour by completely remorseless human beings.”

Preston’s biological mother and his former foster parents delivered powerful victim impact statements in court. They spoke of a defenceless child whose chance at life was taken from him by the adults who were supposed to protect him.

The whole-life order reflects the extreme gravity of the crimes. The wider investigation into how the system failed Preston continues.

Main Sources: BBC News and reporting from Preston Crown Court.