23 pictures from Preston city centre vigil for murdered baby on what would have been his 4th birthday

A heartbreaking vigil was tonight held to remember murdered baby Preston Davey on what should have been his fourth birthday.

The special tribute saw dozens of people gather on Preston’s Flag Market from 8pm to pay their respects to the youngster who was killed by ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley.

Flowers, teddies and candles were laid by the community, as a bagpiper played.

Amongst those in attendance was Preston’s biological father Gary Nolan.

Speaking to BBC North West, he said: “My son went through four months of terror at the hands of a monster.

"My son should be alive today on his birthday and not dead."

Mum-of-three Niamh Cardwell-Clarke, organiser of tonight’s vigil said she felt compelled to do something for Preston after seeing his plight.

She said: “When I heard about the Preston Davey case it really did affect me, it brought me to tears. I struggled to get him off my mind for a few days.

“With that I felt compelled to do something for him. After realising his fourth birtday was coming up I thought it would be a nice touch to do something to remember him by on his fourth birthday. And with it being the end of the trial we are trying to keep the attention on Preston and not those two.

“I’m really amazed by the turn out, when I first put something out on social media I wasn’t really expecting a response but I got quite a big one and I’m really overwhelmed by the turn out.

“I thank every single person because to take time out of your evening to come out for this, and I know Preston wasn’t from Preston, but it’s clear he’s touched a lot of people’s hearts.”

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 at their home is Staining Road, Staining.

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.

Textiles teacher Varley, 37, of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly Staining Road, Staining was found guilty of: murder; two counts of sexual assault of a male child under 13; inflicting grievous bodily harm; four counts of cruelty to a person under 16; 10 counts of taking indecent images of a child; two counts of possessing indecent images of a child and one count of distributing an indecent image of a child.

His now ex partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly Staining Road, Stainingwas found guilty of: causing and allowing the death of a child; two counts of cruelty to a person under 16 and sexual assault of a male child under 13.

The pair will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Thursday.