High school teacher found guilty of murdering and sexually abusing adopted son

A high school teacher has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of a 13-month-old baby he treated as a “plaything”.

Jamie Varley, 37, adopted Preston Davey, at nine months old with his partner, ex-public schoolboy and financial sales manager, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32.

Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order by Oldham Council.

Ms Davey, aged 14 at the time, had been jailed for the “unspeakably wicked” murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 and in and out of prison since then.

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption and at nine months old Preston began living at their home in Blackpool, Lancs in April 2023.

Preston Davey was placed in the couple's care — Preston Davey was placed in the couple’s care Lancashire Police

But in the just under four months he was in their care, he was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries, the defendant’s trial at Preston Crown Court has heard.

Following an eight-week trial a jury spent around 14 hours considering verdicts before it returned to court to deliver verdicts.

Varley of was found guilty of murder, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photo.

McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

Varley stood in the dock and put his hands to his face in shock as the guilty verdicts were read, before collapsing to his knees, wretching and vomiting.