“My world ended”: Birth mum’s devastating words as Preston Davey’s killers face sentence

The birth mum of the tragic baby boy murdered by a Lancashire teacher in the process of adopting him described the day her son died as the day “my world ended”.

Sarah Davey, birth mum of little Preston Paul Arlo Davey was sat in the public gallery at Preston Crown Court this morning awaiting her son’s killer ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, 37, and his abuser John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, to be sentenced.

In a victim personal impact statement read to the court ahead of judge Mr Justice Turner passing sentence, the mum-of-two said: “Preston Paul Arlo Davey was perfect from the moment he was born.

“The second he was placed in my arms, I fell completely in love with him. He was my baby, my only son, and from that day on I never wanted to let him go.

“For the first seven months of his life, I was lucky enough to spend precious time with him.

“He had the most beautiful smile, one that could light up any room, and the bond we shared was something everyone could see. Those memories should have brought me comfort—but instead, they are now mixed with pain, because I know what you put him through in his final months.”

Varley, of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining is guilty of her 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.

Mr Justice Turner said in the case of Varley, who was ressed in a maroon T-shirt and brown trousers looked solem and gaunt, a “life sentence was inevitable”.

His previous long blonde bob was gone and his hair now dark was tied back.

John McGowan-Fazakerley, of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining is guilty of allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

In contrast McGowan-Fazakerley is dressed in a navy suit and appeared smart and confident.

Ms Davey, who is from Oldham was being support by her mum Debbie, addressed Varley and Fazakerley directly in her statement read to the court: “The day he was taken from me was one of the worst days of my life. I had no choice in that decision.

“I tried to take some comfort in believing he would be safe, loved, and protected, and he was with his foster parents, Sandra and Paul, I trusted them, they and the system trusted you, that trust was completely and unforgivably broken. Preston was innocent.

“He was defenceless. He relied entirely on you—the adults responsible for him—to love him, care for him, and keep him safe. Instead, you caused him suffering. You took away his chance to grow up, to go to school, to make friends, to live a full life. You took everything from him.

“There are no words that can truly describe the moment I was told my son had died. My world ended. A part of me died with him. But what makes it even more unbearable is knowing that his death was not an accident—it was something cruel, something he did not deserve, something that should never have been allowed to happen.

“I’d always wanted to have him christened and this is something I prayed you would do for him, we had to do this when he was dead, a day which should be a celebration, was another day of mourning, suffering and filled with sadness.

“I will never forgive you for what you did to my son and what you stopped him from becoming and achieving in his life.

“Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through. Those thoughts do not leave me. They are with me when I wake up, and they haunt me when I try to sleep. The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life.

“You have not only taken Preston’s life—you have devastated mine and his sister’s. His big sister is growing up without her little brother. Everyday moments that should be happy are now filled with pain. I see reminders of him everywhere. Simple things, like going to the park or giving my daughter a bath, are no longer normal—they bring back the reality of what you did to him.

“Preston should be here today. He would be four years old. He should be getting ready to start school, learning, laughing, and living his life. Instead, he is forever thirteen months old.

“I am left trying to live a life that no longer makes sense. I carry grief, guilt, and heartbreak every single day. I try to be strong for my daughter, but part of me is broken forever. This is not something I will ever recover from.”

Lancashire Police began investigating what happened to Preston after they were called by medics to Blackpool Victoria Hospital to the sudden and unexpected death of a child on July 27, 2023.

They arrived at the hospital to discover a theatrical Varley screaming and shouting and refusing to accept baby Preston had passed away.

A post mortem examination confirmed he had suffered 40 trauma injuries, internally and externally, including tears and lacerations, with “in excess” of 30 ‘non-accidential’ bruises across his body.

Varley tried to explain away Preston’s death by claiming he had momentarily left him unattended in a bath. But officers could find no evidence of drowning.

Instead it is understood the youngster was the victim of sickening sexually abuse which led to his cardiac arrest.

Ms Davey, also spoke directly to Little Preston, just days after what should have been his fourth birthday.

She said: “To my beautiful blue-eyed boy, Preston you were, and always will be, loved beyond words.

“I wanted you with me every single day. We all did. Your Nanna fought so hard for you, and you deserved to be with the people who loved you.

“You were failed by the very people who were supposed to protect you.

“All I can ask now is that the seriousness of what has been done to my son is fully recognised. No sentence will ever bring him back or take away the pain, but it must reflect the life that was taken, the suffering he endured, and the lifelong impact this has had on our family. I will carry you with me for the rest of my life, my baby boy.”

Mr Justice Turner, who has allowed the BBC to record the sentencing has retired to consider what sentences to hand down.

42-year-old Sarah Davey was convicted of the murder of 71-year-old widow Lily Lilley of West Street, Failsworth in 1998 at the age of 14.