I saw Blackpool's killer teacher hear he will die in prison for Preston Davey's murder but saw no remorse
Varley’s signature blonde bombshell bob, created after Preston’s death, had disappeared and he looked like a shadow of the monster we saw in the police interview tapes.
As editor of The Gazette I have personally followed the heart-wrenching case of little Preston Davey since his untimely death in July 2023.
As a mother-of-three myself the horrific facts in this case have made it a difficult one to report on and one I have no doubt will stay with me forever.
But for me it has been one case I was determined to stay close to.
Preston Davey deserved better. Demand a national inquiry
Someone needs to give 13-month-old Preston a voice by asking the difficult questions and demanding answers in his name to prevent this from happening to another child.
Sitting in court one at Preston Crown Court today I saw no glimpse of remorse in the eyes of sadistic killer Jamie Varley or his now ex-partner and co-abuser John McGowan-Fazakerley.
In front of the media circus Varley had shrunk beyond recognition.
His signature blonde bombshell bob, created after Preston’s death, had disappeared and he looked like a shadow of the monster we saw in the police interview tapes.
Not once did the evil killer take his eyes off the judge Mr Justice Turner, who granted the rare permission for the BBC to film his sentencing remarks.
The look on Varley’s face read: ‘I feel sorry for myself’.
He refused to look at the public gallery including Preston's birth mum Sarah Davey, maternal nanna Debbie Davey, birth dad Gary Nolan and his loving foster carers Sandra and Paul Cooper.
It was also evident to see he also couldn’t look at McGowan-Fazakerley either.
Despite sitting just a few chairs apart in the glass fronted dock, the pair did not exchange glances or words as their sentences were passed down.
McGowan-Fazakerley in contrast appeared calm, collected and confident. But was equally unwilling to recognise the pain he had caused by refusing to glimpse in the direction of the public gallery.
Even as Preston’s loved ones' victim impact statements were read out, neither of the pair changed their expression or looked even remotely sorry.
I’d go as far as to say McGowan-Fazakerley looked defiant.
The real extent of the abuse Preston faced at the hands of these monsters will be something they only know the truth about.
I believe the whole life tariff for Varley and the 25 years for McGowan-Fazakerley go some way in getting justice for little Preston.
But the other sentence I hope will weigh even heavier on them, even if they cannot outwardly admit it, is the internal turmoil of what they did to that defenceless and vulnerable baby boy.
I for one hope it keeps them up at night.
The heinous nature of their crimes have left a trail of destruction through many lives including theirs and their family’s.
Ex-South Shore Academy teacher Varley will now die behind bars. While McGowan-Fazakeley will be 49 before he is eligible for parole.
Am I sure anyone who knew them before little Preston arrived in their lives would never have guessed this would be the outcome when the pair embarked on adoption.
While we must ask questions to ensure monsters like them can never get their hands on another child, we must remember just how special the act of adoption is.
In most cases adoption matches are extremely positive for both the child and the families involved.
However, with that being said, we must understand if the adoption process is rigorous enough to safeguard the most vulnerable children in society.
The Blackpool Gazette and the Lancashire Post, backed by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb and Preston's birth parents Sarah Davey and Gary Nolan, are calling on the government to launch a national public inquiry into the safeguarding failures that cost Preston his life.
We need answers. Specifically:
- Why were repeated warning signs - three hospital admissions, an abuser's own admission of dark thoughts, routine social worker contact - not acted on?
- Should children placed outside their home authority automatically be assigned a local social worker with direct oversight of their care?
- How are repeat hospital admissions for children in care shared between the NHS, the placing authority, and the authority where the child lives?
- Are adoption vetting procedures rigorous enough to stop prospective adopters hiding behind a false front?