How Could You? Hall of Shame-UK-Preston Davey case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

A 2023 case has come to light.

From Grimsargh, UK, foster parents Jamie Varley, 36, and John McGowan-Fazakerley, 31 face multiple charges in the death of their would-be adopted child Preston Davey, 13-months-old.

“On June 12, 2025, authorities charged Jamie Varley, 36, with murder and multiple sexual and cruelty offenses, while John McGowan-Fazakerley, 31, faces charges for allowing the child’s death.

Consequently, this tragedy, following Preston’s unresponsive arrival at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on July 27, 2023, has sparked urgent debates over adoption safety. The case unfolded when police arrived at Blackpool Victoria Hospital at 7:15 PM on July 27, 2023, after Preston Davey arrived unresponsive; he died shortly after.

Furthermore, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) listed severe charges against Varley, including murder and ten counts of taking indecent photographs. Additionally, they charged McGowan-Fazakerley with allowing the death and sexual assault.

Additionally, both men, from Grimsargh near Preston, were adopting the infant, highlighting potential flaws in vetting processes.

Investigators uncovered a grim pattern of abuse leading to Preston’s death. Varley faces five counts of cruelty and two counts of assault by penetration, while McGowan-Fazakerley faces two cruelty charges, per the CPS.

Moreover, police re-arrested both on June 11, 2025, after a thorough probe, charging them the next day. The men’s relocation from Blackpool to Grimsargh suggests an attempt to avoid detection, though evidence linked them to the crime. This case exposes serious gaps in adoption oversight.

Charges Against Jamie Varley:

• One count of murder
• One count of manslaughter
• Two counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13, contrary to section 6(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Five counts of cruelty to a person under 16, contrary to section 1(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933
• One count of inflicting grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1863
• One count of sexual assault of a child under 13, contrary to section 7(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Ten counts of taking indecent photographs of a child, contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Protection of Children Act 1978
• One count of distributing indecent photographs of a child, contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Protection of Children Act 1978
• Two counts of possession of an indecent pseudo image of a child, contrary to section 160(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988
• One count of possession of an extreme pornographic image, contrary to section 63(1) of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008

Charges Against John McGowan-Fazakerley:

• One count of allowing the death of a child, contrary to section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
• Two counts of cruelty to a person under 16, contrary to section 1(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933
• One count of sexual assault of a child under 13, contrary to section 7(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003″

“The rape and murder of Preston Davey by his adoptive guardians expose severe adoption flaws.”

Gay Couple Charged with Rape and Murder of Adopted Child
[National File 6/16/25 by Ethan Fowler]

“Jamie Varley, believed to be a secondary school teacher, is also accused of cruelty offences and indecent image charges relating to Preston Davey.”

“The charges for both men span between March and July 2023 – and relate to Preston Davey.”
‘Teacher’ charged with murdering baby he was adopting
[Sky News 6/13/25]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A gay couple stands accused of the rape and murder of their 13-month-old adopted son. They were charged months ago, and now the trial is set to begin on April 14, 2026, at Preston Crown Court.

The details of this story are impossible for a normal human brain to comprehend. And once again, this case, coming on the heels of many others like it, has people asking whether gay couples should be allowed to adopt children.

Italy has made it more difficult for gay couples to adopt children.”

“13-month-old baby boy Preston Davey was placed for adoption with a same-sex couple in Grimsargh. Within months, he was allegedly raped and killed.

Jamie Varley (36) faces murder, multiple sexual assaults on the child, cruelty, and extreme porn charges. His partner John McGowan-Fazakerley (31) also charged. Both plead not guilty.

The trial starts this month in Preston Crown Court.

How did social services think this was a safe home for a vulnerable baby?

Children’s needs must always come before adult desires.

Every child deserves a mother and father.”

UPDATE: Gay couple going on trial for rape and murder of 13-month-old adopted child
[Revolver 4/7/26]

Update 2:“Jamie Varley, 37, was convicted at Preston Crown Court of murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to 13-month-old Preston Davey.

John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.

Varley was in the process of adopting baby Preston (also known as Elijah) with his partner McGowan-Fazakerley. Just four months after being placed with the couple, Preston was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Sadly, Preston could not be saved.

Varley tried falsely claiming that Preston had accidentally drowned in a bath, but prosecutors were able to prove that his injuries were consistent with his airways being obstructed.

The evidence presented by the prosecution proved that in the final months of Preston’s life, he was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted – suffering more than 40 separate injuries.

“Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley had a responsibility to care for and protect baby Preston. They violated that responsibility and 13-month-old Preston was abused with sickening ease.

“It is difficult to comprehend how the very people who should have loved him could inflict such awful physical and sexual harm on an innocent child.
“No child should have to go through what Preston went through in the last four months of his short life and I cannot begin to imagine the toll this has taken on those that loved Preston. My thoughts remain with them all.”

Preston Davey was born on 16 June 2022; he was nine months old when he was placed with Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley with a view to his adoption.

Four months later, Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley took Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital around 6:30pm on 27 July 2023. He was unconscious and in cardiac arrest.

Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Preston was pronounced dead just under an hour later.

A post-mortem concluded that the cause of Preston’s death was acute upper airway obstruction, meaning he had been smothered or something had been inserted into his mouth that had caused the obstruction.

Preston had been in the sole care of Varley that day until McGowan-Fazakerley returned from work and the couple took Preston to the hospital.

The evidence gathered showed that Preston suffered greatly at the hands of his primary carer, Varley, while McGowan-Fazakerley, who had been involved in the sexual assault of Preston, had failed to protect him from physical and psychological harm.

Building the case:
To charge and prosecute a case of murder, prosecutors had to prove that Varley had intended to kill or commit serious harm to baby Preston and that it was his actions that caused Preston’s death.

Although Varley claimed that he had not caused Preston any harm, experts confirmed that Preston’s condition could not have been caused by accidental drowning in the bath, as Varley claimed, or any other natural cause.

Preston had around 40 injuries, including bruising to his mouth, throat, bowel and bladder along with a healing fracture to his left arm which was deemed to be non-accidental. These injuries painted a heartbreaking picture of Preston’s time in the care of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.

To secure a guilty verdict for murder and the other charges faced by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, prosecutors built a compelling case including phone evidence showing instances of child cruelty.

Expert evidence proved that Varley had also taken indecent images and videos of Preston, which were stored on his phone.

Medical evidence showed that injuries to Preston’s body were consistent with sexual assault shortly before his tragic death and sometime in the weeks before his death.

Ultimately a wealth of evidence was presented to the jury who found Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley guilty of the crimes against baby Preston.

The pair will be sentenced at a later date at Preston Crown Court.”

Former teacher guilty of sexually abusing and murdering baby boy he wanted to adopt

[Crown Prosecution sevice 6/15/26]