A teacher has been convicted of murdering his adopted baby son after a campaign of sexual abuse and violence that left the 13-month-old with approximately 40 separate injuries and ultimately killed him.
Jamie Varley, 37, a former head of year and design and technology teacher at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, was found guilty at Preston Crown Court of the murder of Preston Davey. He had denied the charge, along with 25 other offences, but after an eight-week trial the jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts, including sexual abuse of a child under 13, inflicting grievous bodily harm, five counts of child cruelty, and offences related to indecent images.
Preston died on 27 July 2023 after being rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital following a collapse and cardiac arrest. Medics worked for nearly an hour to try to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at 7.20pm. The official cause of death was acute upper airways obstruction — caused either by smothering or by one or more objects being inserted into his mouth. Prosecutors specifically ruled out drowning as a possible cause.
Varley had claimed he left Preston in the bath and returned to find him submerged, but the prosecution argued that this account was inconsistent with the post-mortem findings and was fabricated to hide the true nature of the abuse and the killing. Footage from police body-worn cameras captured Varley in the hospital’s bereavement room cradling Preston’s body and saying, “I’m going to hell” and “It’s my fault.”
The abuse
Preston was born on 16 June 2022 and taken into care by Oldham Council just five days later. He was placed with foster parents, where he was described as healthy and happy during his first nine months. An adoption panel approved the placement with Varley and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, in early 2023, and Preston began living with the couple on 31 March or 1 April that year.
The four months that followed were, the court heard, marked by routine ill-treatment, sexual abuse and physical assault. A post-mortem examination revealed approximately 40 separate internal and external injuries, including bruises to his head, body and deep throat area, as well as tears and lacerations. The injuries were consistent with “forcible penetration,” prosecutors said.
Varley took indecent images and videos of Preston, some of which were recovered from his phone after his arrest. One indecent video was shared with McGowan-Fazakerley via Snapchat.
Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, described Varley as “a serial manipulator and a serial liar” and said Preston was treated as a “plaything” for the defendants’ “amusement and gratification.” The prosecutor told the court that the placement of Preston with the couple was “a tragedy waiting to happen.”
DCI Andy Fellows of Lancashire Police, the senior investigating officer, echoed that characterisation, saying Varley had shown himself to be “a serial manipulator and a serial liar.”
Varley, who took a year off work from his role as head of year and design and technology teacher at South Shore Academy to look after Preston, was suspended from his teaching post upon his arrest in 2023. Charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service in June 2025.
The partner’s role
John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, a financial sales manager and Varley’s partner at the time, was found guilty of causing or allowing a child’s death, along with two counts of child cruelty and one count of sexual assault of a child under 13. He had denied all charges, including allowing the death, three counts of child cruelty and the sexual assault.
In his defence, McGowan-Fazakerley told police he had never caused injuries to Preston and had never seen anyone else harm him. He said his trust in Varley was “misplaced” and that he believed Preston’s death was accidental. He claimed he was unaware of the video Varley took of Preston on the day of his death. He described Varley as his ex-partner.
The prosecution argued that McGowan-Fazakerley knew of the risks posed to the child and chose to ignore them, allowing the abuse to continue.
Victim impact statements from Preston’s birth family and his foster carers are to be presented at a sentencing hearing, the date of which will be set by Mr Justice Turner. It has been reported in court that Preston’s birth mother is Sarah Davey, a convicted murderer who tortured and killed a pensioner.
