A teacher who sexually abused and murdered the 13-month-old baby boy he adopted with his partner has been sentenced to life in prison. Jamie Varley, 37, will spend the rest of his life incarcerated without parole for the death of Preston Davey.

Preston died in July 2023, four months after being adopted. He was subjected to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse during his final months of life by Varley. The child's biological mother and grandmother were present in court and were visibly distressed throughout the sentencing.

Varley initially told police that Preston had accidentally drowned in a bath. However, a post-mortem examination revealed that the infant had suffered 40 injuries, contradicting Varley's account and leading to his conviction for murder. The judge described the abuse as unremitting.

Mr. Justice Turner, passing sentence, stated that Preston faced "unremitting abuse and neglect" before being killed by Varley during a sex attack. Addressing Varley directly, the judge declared, "It was you who did this. You murdered him."

Preston's partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child. He received a sentence of 25 years imprisonment.

A whole life order, designating that the offender will never be released except in exceptional compassionate circumstances, is typically reserved for cases of the "most extreme gravity," a description the judge applied to this case. Varley was convicted of murder following an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court.

In a victim impact statement read on behalf of Preston's biological mother, Sarah Davey, she described living with the "unimaginable pain" of wondering about her son's suffering. She stated that these thoughts haunt her daily and that she will "never forgive" Varley for what he did and for the life Preston was prevented from living.

Preston's biological father, Gary Nolan, also provided a statement, expressing his grief over never having met his son. He recalled the shock of being informed of Preston's death, describing a moment of blanking out after officers informed him of the news.