UMVA has learned that a horrific case of child abuse and murder has shaken the nation, as a foster parent and his partner were found guilty of torturing and killing a four-month-old baby boy.
The infant, Preston Davey, was subjected to unimaginable suffering at the hands of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley, who were supposed to provide him with love and care.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Varley was handed a whole life order for murder, sexual offences, and violent offences, while McGowan-Fazakerley received a 25-year sentence for allowing the death of a child, child cruelty, and sexual assault.
The senior judge described whole life orders as the 'sentence of last resort' reserved for cases 'of the most extreme gravity', and noted that Preston's death was a result of 'unremitting abuse and neglect'.
Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption by a company providing services to local councils, which stated that Preston needed 'love, affection, safety, and stability'.
However, the trial heard that Preston was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused, and physically assaulted by the defendants, who took videos and photos of the abuse on Varley's phone.
These images and videos revealed a pattern of psychological and physical harm inflicted on Preston, including being left alone in the bath for extended periods, being jerked around while dancing, and being spun in saucer cups.
A postmortem examination found that Preston had sustained around 40 traumatic injuries in the 16 weeks he was in Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley's care, including at least 30 external bruises and a healing fracture to his left upper arm.
The infant's cause of death was ruled as acute upper airway obstruction caused by something being forced into his mouth, blocking his ability to breathe.
Preston's birth mother, Sarah Davey, described the day he was taken from her as one of the worst of her life, and expressed her grief and anger towards Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.
Varley's actions were described as 'pure evil' by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, who noted that 'almost from day one, they set about abusing Preston and making his short life a harrowing tale of misery and pain'.
The case has sent shockwaves throughout the nation, raising questions about the failures of the social services and adoption systems that allowed Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley to abuse Preston.
As the nation grapples with the horror of this case, one thing is clear: justice has been served, but it can never bring back the young life that was so brutally taken.
