The twisted life of teacher who killed his adopted son

Lancashire Police

In the months after he adopted Preston Davey, Jamie Varley’s social media pages painted a picture of a loving family life but the reality was far more twisted and sinister.

Preston was subjected to months of horrific physical, sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of Varley, who was trusted to take care of him.

After an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Varley, who claimed Preston had accidentally drowned in the bath, was found guilty of murdering him.

The 37-year-old teacher, who was also convicted of sexually abusing his adopted son, was given a whole life order earlier.

This means he will never be released from prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.

His partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was also sentenced to 25 years after being convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual abuse.

“They’ve tried to present as the perfect family, living in the perfect home, having the perfect lives,” said Det Ch Insp Andy Fallows, who was the senior investigating officer on the case at Lancashire Police.

Varley’s social media feed included photos of himself, his immaculate home, successful career, and his miniature pincher dog Maximus, who the couple apparently doted on.

Fallows said: “Everything’s on social media, everything is brilliant, and I think if you scrape away the veneer of that you come to something that is entirely different.

“Everything wasn’t good within the household.

“There were clearly arguments, bickering, clearly issues about long hours at work.”

Lancashire Police

Preston was immediately taken into care after being born on 16 June 2022 and was placed with foster parents at five days old.

His mother, Sarah Davey, 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.

Preston was adopted at nine months old in April 2023 by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.

The couple hosted a “Chosen Shower” with cake, decorations and balloon arch – with Varley painting a living room wall mural of “Preston Elijah”, the name they chose to give him.

The pair met on Canal Street in Manchester’s gay village in late 2018 and always wanted to start a family.

Varley was described in court as a self-confessed “Drama Queen” while McGowan-Fazakerley, reserved and level-headed, was the “Steady Eddie” in their relationship.

The couple, who lived together at their home in Blackpool in Lancashire, started the adoption process in December 2021 and in January 2023 they were approved for adoption.

At the time, the couple agreed that Varley would take a year off work to look after Preston.

Varley first worked at South Shore Academy as a design and technology technician, before later becoming a teacher there after training between 2019 and 2021.

He also took on a pastoral role as a designated safeguarding lead and was head of year.

McGowan-Fazakerley worked as a sales manager in finance.

PA Media/Lancashire Police handout

Messages shown to the jury reveal how Varley was struggling as a new parent, the court heard.

“How is being a father treating you?”, one message to Varley read on 17 April 2023.

“It’s great. Exhausting and not have a decent nights sleep. I knew it would be hard but this is something else,” he replied.

“He wakes up almost every two hours and have a screaming paddy which takes almost a hour to get him back to sleep xx.”

On 21 June, he replied to a message saying he had “anxiety and maybe a little bit of post adoption depression”.

“Didn’t reliable [SIC] that was a thing unless [SIC] a doctor said. I’ll be alright.”

But Fallows said while Varley “struggled as a parent, as any new parent does, it went further than that.”

“The picture they tried to present to the outside world was one of respectability,” he said.

“The truth is far more sinister and darker than that.”

After Preston began living at the couple’s home, he started 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.

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 he 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 ruled out drowning as a cause of death.

Elizabeth Cook

“I think Jamie Varley has sought to deceive right from day one,” said Fallows.

“The reality is he’s concealed, he’s lied, his account is, or was, wholly inconsistent and disbelievable.

“He is a serial manipulator and a serial liar, and his defence has basically been everybody else is wrong, and that’s happened on numerous occasions.

“I don’t see any evidence of regret, remorse, or actual sorrow for Preston Davey.

“I think any tears have been around Jamie Varley, an arrogant, self-centred liar.”

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.