WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT - Born to murderer Sarah Davey, little Preston was removed from her care only to be placed in the hands of depraved Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley before his death at 13 months12:55, 18 Jun 2026Little Preston Davey's short life was steeped in horror. The baby died at just 13 months having suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of his adoptive parents. He had ended up in the care of the evil pair after being taken from his birth mother, who, at 14, was jailed for the horrific murder of a frail pensioner.‌Five days after he was born, Preston was removed from Sarah Davey under an emergency care order obtained by Oldham Council. He was then put into foster care, where he thrived - right up until he was adopted by Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley.‌In the four months the tot was with them, he was routinely sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries. He also had indecent images and videos taken of him. The little boy died in July 2023, at the hands of 37-year-old Varley.‌His biological mother Davey had previously received a mandatory life sentence for murder in July 1999. She was just 14 when she was ordered to serve a minimum of eight years and one day for the horrific murder of widow, Lily Lilley, in Failsworth, Oldham in September 1998. Davey and her 15-year-old friend, Lisa Healey, had befriended the 71-year-old widow at local shops.She invited them into her home for a cup of tea - and the pair set upon her. They brutally tortured Lily by squirting shampoo in her eyes, cutting her with a knife and tying a gag round her mouth so tightly that her dentures were forced down her throat, choking her to death. A framed photo of her son as a baby was thrown into the bin.‌They then crammed her body into a bin and walked it through the streets before throwing it in the Rochdale Canal. Having returned to Lily's home, they used her money to buy crisps and chocolate, and made hundreds of calls from her phone.‌Davey was jailed indefinitely for the "unspeakably wicked" murder but has been let out on seven occasions since, starting in 2013, but repeatedly breached her conditions for the original murder.She was first released in March 2013, 14 years into her sentence, and reportedly lived in a flat in Crumpsall, Manchester. She is said to have shared details of her new life and partying on Facebook but was soon recalled to prison for breaching her licence. She was released another six times until November 2021, but always ended up being recalled.It was while out on licence that she started a relationship with Gary Nolan and had a daughter. They conceived a second child, and in a selfie uploaded to her Facebook page that August, Sarah added the caption: "I love my family". She gave birth to Preston on June 16, 2022 at Wythenshawe Hospital. According to our sister paper the Manchester Evening News, his birth certificate listed Davey's address as the mother and baby unit at Styal women's prison in Cheshire and her occupation as hairdresser.‌She was released on licence in March 2024 - nine months after her son was murdered - following a decision by the parole board. Parole Board documents said: "She has been released on licence on seven occasions since her first such release in March 2013. Each of those licences has been revoked and she has been recalled to prison."Now aged 43, on her Facebook page, she describes herself as a 'full-time mummy'. Her bio reads: "What goes around comes around!!! My beautiful princess, my daughter, my world."‌Heartbroken Davey was a frequent presence at the trial of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley and was seen walking out of court during the most distressing parts, with police officers supporting her. As the guilty verdicts were read out, she sobbed uncontrollably in the public gallery, comforted by her mother, Debra Davey.Today, Varley was sentenced to a whole life order for the murder and sexual abuse of Preston. "This is a case of extreme gravity ... you will never be eligible for parole," judge Mr Justice Turner said. His ex-partner McGowan-Fazakerley was sentenced to for 25 years for sexual assault and allowing Preston's death.At today's hearing, Davey wept as her victim impact statement was read out, paying tribute to her 'beautiful blue-eyed boy'. "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," she said. "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."‌Addressing his tormentors, she wrote: "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.""The day he was taken from me was one of the worst days of my life. I had no choice in that decision," she continued. "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."In her heartbreaking statement, she told how she is haunted by thoughts of her son's suffering and how his big sister will now have to grow up without her sibling."Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through. Those thoughts do not leave me. The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life," she said. "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.‌"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."In a message to her second-born, she promised to 'carry you with me for the rest of my life'. "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."‌Preston's father, Gary Nolan, also made a statement in court, revealing he never got to meet his son and had been waiting for an appointment with social services at the time of his murder. After being told about Preston's death, he was so traumatised that he 'blanked out' and was hospitalised for two days.He said: "I am told that I was hysterical and crying and that it was for my own safety that I was taken to the hospital, clearly, I must have been in a bad place mentally.Upon being discharged from hospital, I turned to drink. [...] I was having nightmares about Preston, after hearing about the autopsy. These included seeing some horrific images in my mind. The only thing that got me off the alcohol was when I started throwing up blood, at that point I knew that I needed help."Preston's grandmother Debra, 66, previously told how Sarah had a 'gut feeling' about Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley from the start and had objected to the adoption. "Sarah knew right from the start. Not because it was two men, she just got a horrible feeling about it, a gut feeling," she said. "She told social services and the foster parents. But they just took him, she didn't sign anything."‌Debra told The Mirror: "I was there when he was born in Wythenshawe. It was wonderful. He was with Sarah for five days. She still got to see him after that, she saw him every fortnight with the foster parents… until he went to them. She wanted him right from the start. The plan was I would help with her having him."Tragically, the plan fell apart when Debra was diagnosed with breast cancer. "That's the reason I couldn't have him. I was diagnosed literally the next day after he was born. They said I couldn't have him because of that. His foster parents were lovely people, but I didn't see him after that. Sarah would see him with his foster parents; she liked them, got on with them, they loved Preston."Debra said when she was told about Preston's death in July 2023 she was 'hysterical'. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were arrested but released on bail as investigations continued.‌She said: "It went on for two years. I used to argue with them [the police] all the time. 'Why aren't they in custody?' It all took such a long time."Speaking about her grandson's tragic death she said: "I've had some bad things happen in my life, but this is by far the worst."‌She added that her daughter was aware the details of her crime would resurface once the verdicts were in. She said: "She's worried about it all coming out again, but I've told her, it's all about Preston, it isn't about her."Debra attended the start of the trial, but ill health kept her away as it progressed. Speaking about Varley, she said: "It's killing me. It's disgusting. He should never see the light of day again."Upon learning the jury's guilty verdict on Monday, Varley, a former head of year and textiles teacher at Blackpool's South Shore Academy, held his hand over his mouth, fell to the floor retching as one by one the charges of murder, cruelty, GBH and sexual abuse came back as guilty. McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, stared straight ahead as he was found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty and allowing the death of a child.Article continues belowSentencing Varley on Thursday, Mr Justice Turner, the judge in the case, said: "Preston Davey was 13 months old when he was murdered by you, Jamie Varley. Over the previous four months you and John McGowan-Fazakerley had been responsible for his care. Three days ago following a trial that had listed for over six weeks, you were both convicted unanimously. It now falls to me to sentence you.""Preston was noted to be a healthy baby when he was entrusted to your care. You, Varley, were primarily responsible for the daytime care of Preston. Unfortunately Preston proved to be restless at night. Otherwise he was described as a dream to care for. I'm sure that your growing and selfish resentment towards Preston played a part in your treatment of Preston."The judge described how Varley videod a seizure on the day Preston died. "Preston was having a seizure. You videoed it. I'm sure it was caused by your further abuse," he said. "His lips were blue. He was plainly in need of urgent medical attention. You were the only person with Preston that afternoon. It was you. You murdered him."