Preston Davey: Teacher will never leave prison for murder and Sєxual abuse of adopted baby

Her husband Paul told the court: “Saying goodbye to [Preston] 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.”

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 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, when he was nine months old.

But during the four months he was in their care, he was routinely ill-treated, Sєxually abused and physically ᴀssaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries.

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.

In the months before his death, Preston was taken to hospital three times.

Firstly for a nose bleed and seizure, for the second time with a rash and bruising, and on the third occasion with a fractured left elbow.

When social workers visited Preston at home, they did not feel that he was in danger.

On 27 July, 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 ᴅᴇᴀᴅ 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 Sєxual abuse.

It also ruled out drowning as a cause of death.

Ninety minutes before Preston was rushed to hospital, Varley recorded a video, in between using Snapchat and checking emails, of the child in extreme distress, hardly breathing and taking “agonal breaths”.

Some of the evidence was too much for one juror, leading to the trial being aborted and re-started with a new jury.

A child safeguarding practice review, paused during the criminal proceedings, will be relaunched by Oldham Council.

Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Josh MaCalister, said he had instructed experts to examine the Preston Davey case.

“It’s a really shocking case, people will look at it and feel sick,” he said.

“The independent safeguarding review that’s now being done will establish more of the facts.

“But I have asked some independent experts to go and look at Oldham, the hospital trust and the adoption agency to see whether things we already know have been acted upon.”

Lancashire Police said their investigation had not revealed any evidence to suggest the men had a Sєxual interest in children prior to the adoption.

After the verdict a spokesperson for Oldham Council said: “The death of any child is a tragedy, but this is a particularly heart-wrenching and disturbing case.

“We are thankful that the perpetrators of the sickening murder and abuse of an innocent child have today been convicted for their crimes.”

They said an independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review was already under way, which would examine the handling of Preston’s safeguarding.

“Our thoughts remain with Preston’s family, loved ones, and the many people affected by this case.”

Regional adoption agency, Adoption Now, said it was a “deeply upsetting case, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by these truly awful crimes”.

It said it followed “a strict and rigorous process… in the ᴀssessment and approval of adopters”.

“An independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review is being completed.”