Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old teacher, has been convicted of sexually abusing and murdering the 13-month-old adopted baby boy in his care. The child, Preston Davey, died in July 2023.

Varley, who took a year off work to adopt Preston with his partner, initially told police the baby had accidentally drowned in a bath. However, a post-mortem examination revealed the child had sustained 40 injuries, indicating a pattern of abuse.

Preston’s other adoptive parent, 32-year-old John McGowan-Fazakerley, a financial sales manager, was found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child. The pair are scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday.

The conviction follows a trial at Preston Crown Court, where evidence presented detailed a "reign of terror" against the infant. The implications of this case highlight failures in the adoption and safeguarding processes, prompting scrutiny of how such abuse could go undetected for months.

Preston was adopted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in April 2023, when he was nine months old. The court heard that in the less than four months he was in their care, Preston suffered routine ill-treatment, sexual abuse, and physical assault, resulting in 40 traumatic injuries. Indecent images and videos of the child were also taken.

Medical staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital had noted suspicious bruises on Preston during three separate hospital visits in the months leading up to his death. However, these injuries were reportedly explained away by the adoptive parents. Social workers also had contact with the child during this period.

On July 27, 2023, Varley rushed Preston to the hospital, claiming the baby was unresponsive after being left in the bath. This was the final incident before the child's death was confirmed.

Preston Davey was born in June 2022 and initially taken into care by Oldham Council. His biological mother, Sarah Davey, had a history of convictions, including one for murder when she was a teenager. Preston had been placed with foster parents at five days old and remained with them for the first 10 months of his life before being placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.