A child who was described as happy and healthy in foster care became the centre of one of Britain’s most disturbing safeguarding cases, forcing a court—and now the public—to ask how so many warning signs were missed.

The case shown appears to refer to Preston Elijah Davey, a 13-month-old boy whose death led to the conviction and sentencing of Jamie Varley, 37, and John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32. The latest major public update is that Varley has been given a whole-life order, meaning he will remain in prison for life with no parole eligibility, while McGowan-Fazakerley was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The sentencing followed guilty verdicts at Preston Crown Court in June 2026

Preston was born on 16 June 2022 at Wythenshawe Hospital. According to Lancashire Police, he was placed into emergency foster care five days later and was described by health professionals during his first nine months as healthy and happy. In March 2023, an adoption panel approved his placement with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, and Preston spent his first night with them on 31 March 2023. Police said the offences took place during the four-month period before his death on 27 July 2023. (Tin Tức Cảnh Sát Lancashire)

The Crown Prosecution Service said Varley was convicted of murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and offences relating to indecent images involving Preston. McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault. Prosecutors said Preston was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital unconscious and in cardiac arrest after only four months in the couple’s care. He could not be saved. (Crown Prosecution Service)

A central issue in the trial was Varley’s explanation that Preston had accidentally drowned in a bath. Prosecutors rejected that account. The CPS said medical evidence showed Preston’s injuries were consistent with acute upper airway obstruction, not accidental drowning. A post-mortem found more than 40 injuries, and prosecutors relied on medical, expert and phone evidence to build the case. (Crown Prosecution Service)

The phone evidence became one of the most chilling parts of the case. The CPS said prosecutors presented phone material showing instances of child cruelty, while expert evidence showed Varley had stored indecent images and videos involving Preston on his phone. Lancashire Police also reported that Varley had taken his first video of Preston by 17 April 2023, only weeks after Preston entered the couple’s care. (Crown Prosecution Service)

At sentencing, Mr Justice Turner described Preston’s suffering as “unremitting abuse” and said the case was of “the most extreme gravity.” Sky News reported that Varley was given a whole-life order, a rare sentence reserved for the most serious cases, while McGowan-Fazakerley received 25 years. (Sky News)

The Guardian reported that the court heard Preston had been seen by several professionals in the weeks before his death, including social workers and medical staff. He had reportedly been taken to hospital multiple times, including once with a broken arm, but was returned to the care of the couple. That has made the case not only a criminal matter, but also a major safeguarding controversy. (The Guardian)

The newest reliable reports also say a child safeguarding practice review connected to Oldham Council has resumed after being paused during the criminal proceedings. That review is expected to examine how Preston’s case was handled, what agencies knew, and whether opportunities to protect him were missed. (The Guardian)