Preston Davey case exposes tragic chain from killer birth mother to abusive adopters

The mum of a tragic baby sexually abused and murdered by his adopted dad is a killer schoolgirl who tortured an OAP to death.

Sarah Davey was just 14 when she murdered Lily Lilley, 71, at her home in Failsworth, Greater Manchester.

Davey was handed an indefinite life sentence in 1999 for the “unspeakably wicked” murder but was first freed in 2013.

The mum, who has been recalled to prison seven times, fell pregnant with little Preston in 2021 before being sent back to jail.

Preston was then sent into foster care before he was adopted by teacher Jamie Varley and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley.

Just four months after he was adopted, the 13-month-old died after he was sexually assaulted and smothered to death by Varley.

Preston’s birth mum can now be revealed after Varley was today convicted of murder, sexual assault of a child and taking indecent photos.

He was also sexually abused by McGowan-Fazakerley, who was convicted allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

Davey befriended Lily before she and pal Lisa Healey gagged the 71-year-old so tightly her false teeth were shoved down her throat.

They also squirted her with shampoo during the campaign of torture.

Davey and Healey also cut Lily’s legs with a knife and chucked treasured family photos in the bin before making hundreds of calls from her phone and using the gran’s pension money to buy crisps and chocolate.

After killing Lily, the evil pair put her body in a wheelie bin before dumping her in a canal.

Davey was first released in March 2013 but was recalled to prison seven times for breaching the terms of her licence.

The Parole Board confirmed in 2024 she was back on the streets once more after being freed again.

Preston was removed from Davey by an emergency care order from Oldham Council.

Preston Crown Court heard he then began living with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in their Blackpool home in April 2023 after undergoing an assessment and familiarisation process.

But just days later Varley, who took a year off work as head of year at a high school to adopt a child, confessed he was struggling with a lack of sleep due to the baby constantly waking in the night.

On April 6, he texted his sister, a baby sleep trainer: “He’s dead meat today. Didn’t sleep last night after 11.30. Up every, one and a half hours.”

Once in the couple’s care, Preston was taken to hospital three times – once with a fractured left elbow.

In July 2023, the pair were captured on CCTV rushing the “floppy” tot to A&E while Varley begged: “Don’t let him die. Please don’t let him die.”

The “hysterical” dad claimed he had left the baby in the bath while he had a shower and returned three to four minutes later to find him unresponsive.

In reality, the brute had sexually abused Preston before smothering the tot with his hand, fabric or by inserting an object into his mouth.

Medics worked for nearly an hour to resuscitate the baby on July 27, 2023, until a decision was made that further intervention was futile.

Varley then tried to give chest compressions and mouth to mouth resuscitation to Preston, despite the breathing tube being still in place.

When told by doctors that Preston could not be saved, Varley pleaded with them to “kill me” and wailed loudly: “It’s all my fault”.

The teacher, who was wearing a red Jurassic Park T-shirt and tartan pyjama bottoms, was filmed sobbing loudly on the hospital floor.

Nurses and police could be seen trying to comfort Varley as he cried: “I can’t, no, I have done this”.

When one of the hospital staff told him that Preston needs him, he replied: “He doesn’t need me, it’s my fault…please get my mum…this is not happening…please kill me, please kill me.”

Varley eventually went to see and cradle his dead son but was heard saying: “I probably won’t see you again, I’m definitely going to hell.”

He continued to spread a web of lies about Preston drowning but the baby had dry hair, was wearing a nappy, the bath tub was empty and no water was found in his lungs.

Preston’s cause of death was instead given as an acute obstruction of his upper airway.

A post mortem found he had suffered 40 multiple non-accidental, internal and external injuries.

The jury heard some of these injuries showed clinical signs of sexual abuse, including “forcible penetration”.

Preston had been described as a happy, smiley baby before he was placed in the couple’s care.

But after being adopted, he was said to look “blank” – a sign child abuse expert Dr Joanne Gifford described to the jury as “frozen watchfulness”, a trauma and stress response to child abuse.

The court was told Varley’s sexual interest in Preston was evident “within weeks” of his placement and that the teacher treated him as a “plaything”.

McGowan-Fazakerley “shared” his depraved interest, which was shown in indecent images and videos taken of the baby.

Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, said: “Preston’s death was a tragedy waiting to happen. Mr McGowan-Fazakerley knew that but chose to ignore it.”

Varley denied murder, manslaughter, sexual assault of a child under 13, two counts of assault by penetration, grievous bodily harm, five counts of child cruelty and further counts of making, taking and distributing indecent images.

McGowan-Fazakerley pleaded not guilty to causing and allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and sexual assault of a child under 13.

The evil couple will be sentenced on Thursday.

An NSPCC spokesperson, said: “This is a deeply distressing and heartbreaking case. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were entrusted with caring for Preston Davey and providing him with a safe, loving childhood.

“Instead, for the four months he lived with the couple, this little boy was subjected to sexual, physical and emotional abuse, before being murdered by Varley.

“This case will leave many people asking how such a tragedy could have happened. Babies are particularly vulnerable as they are entirely reliant on the adults around them for care and protection, and Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley are responsible for Preston’s suffering and death.

“It is vital that any learnings identified for others involved in this little boy’s short life are fully acted upon to help protect children in the future.

“Everyone can play a part in keeping children safe, and that sometimes means asking difficult questions and thinking the unthinkable. We all need to challenge things that don’t seem right and share our concerns with those who can intervene.”