‘Father’s’ Phone Recorded Every Horrifying Moment of Preston’s Final Days
In a case that has shocked the United Kingdom and exposed devastating failures in the child protection system, Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old former high school teacher, was handed a whole life order for the murder and Sєxual abuse of his 13-month-old adopted son, Preston Davey. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the abuse and for allowing the child’s death. The evidence against them was overwhelming, much of it captured on Varley’s own mobile phone in the family home in Blackpool.
Preston Davey, a bright-eyed toddler with curly hair and an infectious smile, came into the couple’s care in early 2023 as they pursued adoption. Born to a mother with her own troubled history, Preston was placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in what should have been a loving home. Instead, over just four months, he endured what prosecutors described as “unremitting abuse” — physical, emotional, and Sєxual — culminating in his death on July 27, 2023.
The Damning Digital Evidence
What made this case particularly chilling was the extensive archive of images and videos stored on Jamie Varley’s phone — hundreds of files meticulously kept, some allegedly shared. These were not accidental snapsH๏τs but deliberate recordings of Preston’s suffering. One particularly horrifying video captured the toddler left completely alone in the bath for a full 14 minutes and 31 seconds. Varley, who claimed he briefly stepped away to fetch a towel, was actually hiding nearby, filming the child’s distress as he floundered without support. Preston whimpered and struggled, clearly in danger, yet no intervention came.
Prosecutors presented footage showing Preston naked in various vulnerable situations, including playing in a paddling pool with what experts identified as a possible bite mark. Other clips depicted the exhausted child being “jump-scared” awake with loud “boo” sounds while trying to sleep amid blaring television noise. In one sequence from the evening before his first birthday, Preston drifts off only to be jolted repeatedly. Additional images showed him in unsafe positions in his cot, head and arms draped over the bars, neck resting precariously, with signs of respiratory distress — blue lips and protruding tongue.
Varley even recorded Preston in the throes of what appeared to be a seizure on the day of his death, prioritizing other activities like checking emails and Snapchat before seeking help. The phone evidence painted a picture of systematic cruelty, with Varley treating the defenseless child as a “plaything” for his own gratification. Some files were shared between the two men, accompanied by crude comments.
The Final Hours and Fatal Lies
On July 27, 2023, Varley was alone with Preston when the toddler collapsed. Varley claimed he found the boy submerged in the bath after briefly leaving him in a bath seat. The couple rushed Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in cardiac arrest, but despite 50 minutes of resuscitation efforts, he could not be saved.
The post-mortem examination told a different story. There was no water in Preston’s lungs, and his hair was dry — ruling out drowning. Instead, the cause of death was acute upper airway obstruction, likely from smothering or objects inserted into his mouth during a Sєxual ᴀssault. Pathologists documented around 40 non-accidental injuries, both internal and external, consistent with repeated physical and Sєxual abuse. Many injuries predated the final day.
Varley initially told varying stories, including to colleagues about “dark thoughts” of harming the child. Hospital visits earlier in the year for bruising, a broken arm, rashes, and other issues raised concerns, but opportunities to intervene were missed. One 999 call was abandoned, and explanations like a toy box falling on the child were accepted too readily.
Sentencing and Questions of a Wider Network
At Preston Crown Court in June 2026, Mr Justice Turner delivered a whole life order to Varley, describing the case as one of “utmost gravity.” The judge emphasized the betrayal of trust by an adoptive parent who was also a teacher. McGowan-Fazakerley received 25 years for his complicity, including participating in a Sєxual ᴀssault four days prior.
The couple’s apparent confidence in documenting and preserving the evidence has led investigators to probe whether others were involved. While the trial focused on the two men, the scale of the files and potential sharing raises disturbing questions about a possible hidden network. A safeguarding review by Oldham Council is underway to examine missed opportunities.
Preston’s biological family and the public have expressed unimaginable grief. His short life, filled with pain instead of the love he deserved, highlights systemic vulnerabilities in adoption processes and child welfare monitoring.
This tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the need for vigilance. The images and videos, though too graphic for public release, ensured justice was served through the tireless work of police, prosecutors, and medical experts. Preston Davey’s story must drive reforms so no other child suffers in silence behind closed doors.
