Jamie Varley, 37, a former teacher, has been found guilty of murdering and sexually abusing 13-month-old Preston Elijah Davey, a baby boy he and his partner were in the process of adopting.
His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was also found guilty of causing or allowing Preston’s death, child cruelty and sexual assault.
This case started with a baby who was supposed to be getting a safer life.
Preston was born at Wythenshawe Hospital on June 16, 2022. Five days later, on June 21, he was placed into emergency foster care. For the first nine months of his life, health professionals described him as healthy and happy.
Then came the adoption placement.
On March 23, 2023, an adoption panel approved Preston’s placement with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley. On March 31, Preston spent his first night with them. He was only 9 months old.
Four months later, he was dead.
Police said every criminal offense against Preston happened during the short time he was in their care.
Within weeks, Varley was already messaging friends saying he found Preston annoying and was struggling to cope. By April 17, he had taken the first video of Preston. Police later recovered images and videos from the men’s phones that showed cruelty, bruising and abuse.
On May 11, McGowan-Fazakerley made a 999 emergency call, but it was abandoned after four seconds. Before the call ended, police said Varley could be heard telling him to put it down. When the number was called back, a man claimed the emergency call was a mistake and said he meant to call 111.
Later that night, McGowan-Fazakerley called 111 and said Preston had breathing problems and could not hold his head properly. An out-of-hours call was arranged, but police said he never answered it and no medical treatment was sought. The next day, neither man told the health visitor about Preston’s health problems.
On May 25, Varley took Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, claiming the baby had breathing difficulties and a seizure. Safeguarding staff contacted police, but medical staff did not raise concerns about non-accidental injury at that time. It was the only hospital contact police received about Preston until the day he died.
The warning signs kept coming.
On June 30, Preston was taken back to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with a rash. Bruises were noted on his head. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley showed staff a video claiming a toy box had fallen on him. Police later said the video had been recorded 12 days earlier, meaning it could not explain those bruises.
On July 6, Preston was back at hospital with a fractured arm. Police said Varley gave different explanations to different people: one account to A&E staff, another to doctors, and another in a message to a friend.
On July 19, Varley recorded videos of Preston being spun too fast on a playground ride while the baby was clearly distressed. Police said Varley shared one of the videos with others, including McGowan-Fazakerley, and later set two of them to music.
On July 24, Varley recorded Preston alone in a bath for more than 14 minutes. Police said Preston was not in his bath seat and was in serious distress, whimpering and trying to get out.
Then came July 27, 2023.
At 4:45 p.m., Varley recorded Preston on a bed struggling to breathe and in obvious discomfort. Prosecutors said Preston had been assaulted earlier that day and then suffered a second assault that obstructed his airway. Only Varley was in the house when those assaults happened.
Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley did not arrive at Blackpool Victoria Hospital with Preston until 6:24 p.m.
Preston was unconscious and in cardiac arrest.
He was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m.
Varley claimed he had left Preston in the bath for a few minutes and came back to find him submerged. But prosecutors said that story was a lie. Medical evidence did not support drowning, and police said Preston was completely dry when he arrived at hospital.
A Home Office postmortem found Preston had suffered 40 traumatic injuries while in Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley’s care. Those injuries included at least 30 external bruises, internal bruising to his mouth and throat, internal injuries, and a healing non-accidental fracture to his left upper arm.
Preston died from acute upper airway obstruction.
After a seven-week trial at Preston Crown Court, a jury took just over two days to unanimously find both men guilty.
Varley was convicted of murder, serious assault, child cruelty, sexual offenses and indecent-image offenses involving Preston. McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child, two child-cruelty offenses and sexual assault.
Both men were remanded back into custody. They are due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on June 18.
Preston was not even two years old.
He entered foster care as a baby. He was described as healthy and happy. Then he was placed with two adults who were supposed to love him, protect him and give him a home.
Instead, police said his last four months became a pattern of cruelty, injury, hospital visits, missed chances, lies and abuse.
A baby cannot report abuse. A baby cannot explain bruises. A baby cannot tell a doctor the story keeps changing. A baby cannot beg social services to come back and check.
Adults have to notice.
AWARENESS ANGLE: Adoption and foster placement checks cannot be treated like paperwork after a child moves in. Watch for repeated injuries, changing explanations, hospital visits, sudden fear, weight loss, bruises, fractures, distress around caregivers, missed medical follow-ups, odd videos, cruel “jokes,” and caregivers saying they are overwhelmed or angry at the child.
If a baby or child in care keeps getting hurt, every “accident” needs to be questioned. A child should not have to die before the pattern becomes obvious.
SOURCES: Lancashire Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Sky News, The Guardian, PEOPLE.
#NewsUpdate #abuse #ProtectOurChildren #ChildSafety
#adoption #humanity #justice #JusticeForChildrenJamie Varley, 37, a former teacher, has been found guilty of murdering and sexually abusing 13-month-old Preston Elijah Davey, a baby boy he and his partner were in the process of adopting.
His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was also found guilty of causing or allowing Preston’s death, child cruelty and sexual assault.
This case started with a baby who was supposed to be getting a safer life.
Preston was born at Wythenshawe Hospital on June 16, 2022. Five days later, on June 21, he was placed into emergency foster care. For the first nine months of his life, health professionals described him as healthy and happy.
Then came the adoption placement.
On March 23, 2023, an adoption panel approved Preston’s placement with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley. On March 31, Preston spent his first night with them. He was only 9 months old.
Four months later, he was dead.
Police said every criminal offense against Preston happened during the short time he was in their care.
Within weeks, Varley was already messaging friends saying he found Preston annoying and was struggling to cope. By April 17, he had taken the first video of Preston. Police later recovered images and videos from the men’s phones that showed cruelty, bruising and abuse.
On May 11, McGowan-Fazakerley made a 999 emergency call, but it was abandoned after four seconds. Before the call ended, police said Varley could be heard telling him to put it down. When the number was called back, a man claimed the emergency call was a mistake and said he meant to call 111.
Later that night, McGowan-Fazakerley called 111 and said Preston had breathing problems and could not hold his head properly. An out-of-hours call was arranged, but police said he never answered it and no medical treatment was sought. The next day, neither man told the health visitor about Preston’s health problems.
On May 25, Varley took Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, claiming the baby had breathing difficulties and a seizure. Safeguarding staff contacted police, but medical staff did not raise concerns about non-accidental injury at that time. It was the only hospital contact police received about Preston until the day he died.
The warning signs kept coming.
On June 30, Preston was taken back to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with a rash. Bruises were noted on his head. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley showed staff a video claiming a toy box had fallen on him. Police later said the video had been recorded 12 days earlier, meaning it could not explain those bruises.
On July 6, Preston was back at hospital with a fractured arm. Police said Varley gave different explanations to different people: one account to A&E staff, another to doctors, and another in a message to a friend.
On July 19, Varley recorded videos of Preston being spun too fast on a playground ride while the baby was clearly distressed. Police said Varley shared one of the videos with others, including McGowan-Fazakerley, and later set two of them to music.
On July 24, Varley recorded Preston alone in a bath for more than 14 minutes. Police said Preston was not in his bath seat and was in serious distress, whimpering and trying to get out.
Then came July 27, 2023.
At 4:45 p.m., Varley recorded Preston on a bed struggling to breathe and in obvious discomfort. Prosecutors said Preston had been assaulted earlier that day and then suffered a second assault that obstructed his airway. Only Varley was in the house when those assaults happened.
Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley did not arrive at Blackpool Victoria Hospital with Preston until 6:24 p.m.
Preston was unconscious and in cardiac arrest.
He was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m.
Varley claimed he had left Preston in the bath for a few minutes and came back to find him submerged. But prosecutors said that story was a lie. Medical evidence did not support drowning, and police said Preston was completely dry when he arrived at hospital.
A Home Office postmortem found Preston had suffered 40 traumatic injuries while in Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley’s care. Those injuries included at least 30 external bruises, internal bruising to his mouth and throat, internal injuries, and a healing non-accidental fracture to his left upper arm.
Preston died from acute upper airway obstruction.
After a seven-week trial at Preston Crown Court, a jury took just over two days to unanimously find both men guilty.
Varley was convicted of murder, serious assault, child cruelty, sexual offenses and indecent-image offenses involving Preston. McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child, two child-cruelty offenses and sexual assault.
Both men were remanded back into custody. They are due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on June 18.
Preston was not even two years old.
He entered foster care as a baby. He was described as healthy and happy. Then he was placed with two adults who were supposed to love him, protect him and give him a home.
Instead, police said his last four months became a pattern of cruelty, injury, hospital visits, missed chances, lies and abuse.
A baby cannot report abuse. A baby cannot explain bruises. A baby cannot tell a doctor the story keeps changing. A baby cannot beg social services to come back and check.
Adults have to notice.
AWARENESS ANGLE: Adoption and foster placement checks cannot be treated like paperwork after a child moves in. Watch for repeated injuries, changing explanations, hospital visits, sudden fear, weight loss, bruises, fractures, distress around caregivers, missed medical follow-ups, odd videos, cruel “jokes,” and caregivers saying they are overwhelmed or angry at the child.
If a baby or child in care keeps getting hurt, every “accident” needs to be questioned. A child should not have to die before the pattern becomes obvious.
SOURCES: Lancashire Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Sky News, The Guardian, PEOPLE.
#NewsUpdate #abuse #ProtectOurChildren #ChildSafety
#adoption #humanity #justice #JusticeForChildren
