Mum's 'unimaginable pain' over killing of baby boy

The biological mother of a 13-month-old baby boy who was sexually abused and murdered by his adopted dad said she now lived with the "unimaginable pain of wondering" what her son went through in the final months of his life.

Preston Davey died in July 2023 at the hands of Jamie Varley, 37, who subjected the child to physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

Varley was convicted of Preston's murder following a trial while his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty and allowing the death of a child.

In a statement read out in court on behalf of Preston's mother Sarah Davey, she said "Preston should be here today...instead, he is forever 13 months old."

She was visibly emotional as her words were read out by the prosecutor.

"The second he was placed in my arms, I fell completely in love with him," she said.

"He was my baby, my only son, and from that day on I never wanted to let him go.

"For the first seven months of his life, I was lucky enough to spend precious time with him.

"He had the most beautiful smile, one that could light up any room, and the bond we shared was something everyone could see.

"Those memories should have brought me comfort — but instead, they are now mixed with pain, because I know what you put him through in his final months."

• Follow the live sentencing of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley

Preston, who was born in June 2022, was taken into care at five days old following an emergency care order by Oldham Council.

He was placed with foster parents, remaining with them for the first nine months of his life.

Preston's mother, now 42, had been jailed at the age of 14 for the murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 and had been in and out of prison since then.

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption in January 2023 and Preston began living at their home in Blackpool in April 2023, when he was nine months old.

But after Preston began living at the couple's home, he began to suffer non-accidental "cluster" injuries of bruising, seizures or respiratory failures, and there was evidence of abnormality of his anatomy.

On 27 July 2023, he was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital by Varley for the final time.

Varley told medical staff he had left the child in the bath for two or three minutes and returned to find him submerged.

But he was dry and there was no evidence Preston had swallowed water.

Medics were unable to revive Preston, and he was pronounced dead in hospital.

A post-mortem examination found 40 external and internal trauma injuries to the child's body, with some consistent with "forcible penetration" and sexual abuse.

It also ruled out drowning as a cause of death.

Sarah Davey said she would never forgive Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley for what they did to Preston.

"Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through," she said.

"Those thoughts do not leave me.

"They are with me when I wake up, and they haunt me when I try to sleep.

"The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life."

In a statement read out on behalf of Gary Nolan, Preston's biological father, he said: "I learnt of Preston's passing from the police, a day I remember so well, it was just awful.

"Two female officers came to see me and informed me that Preston had been killed and that two men had been bailed pending an investigation.

"Due to legal matters a lot of information was withheld from me.

"Upon hearing the news, I remember officers taking hold of me and me blanking out, the next thing I recall is waking up in hospital two days later.

"I am told that I was hysterical and crying and that it was for my own safety that I was taken to the hospital, clearly, I must have been in a bad place mentally."

Sandra Cooper, Preston's foster mum, told the court: "Paul [her husband] and I will often watch the videos we took of Preston when he was happy with us laughing and giggling, playing with his toys smiling".

"Preston's face would light up when we looked at him; he was joyful, so content and happy, with sparkly smiling eyes.

"That is how we want to remember him."

She said she often dreamt about Preston and felt like he was still alive, but "when I wake up I realise he has died and I go through the trauma again of knowing he has died and how."

Her husband Paul told the court: "Preston's smile was infectious and he brightened up my day from the second he woke up.

"We built a strong bond with him during his time with us.

"We fostered Preston until he was... nearly 10 months old.

"By this time he had developed his little personality and was thriving.

"Saying goodbye to him and handing him over to Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley was extremely difficult.

"However, we believed at the time that this was the best thing for Preston and he was going to a loving family.

"What happened after this I still cannot bear to think about."

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