‘You will never be released’: Sadistic baby killer Jamie Varley handed rare whole life order for horrific murder of adopted son
The ultimate hammer of justice has officially crushed one of the most hated men in modern British history. In a tense and emotionally charged courtroom at Preston Crown Court, a High Court judge delivered a chilling, definitive warning to sadistic baby-killer Jamie Varley: “You will stay in prison for the whole of your life. You will never be released.” The 37-year-old former teacher was handed a rare and unforgiving whole life order for the brutal murder of his 13-month-old adopted son, Preston Davey, ensuring he will rot behind bars until his final breath with absolutely zero chance of parole.
The stomach-churning details of the case have left the global community completely paralyzed with horror. Preston, who had been taken from his biological mother just five days after birth, was placed in the care of Varley and his partner, 32-year-old John McGowan-Fazakerley, when he was nine months old. What was supposed to be a safe haven for the vulnerable baby quickly morphed into a literal house of horrors. Over the course of just four months, the helpless toddler was subjected to a systematic and escalating campaign of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
The depravity reached its fatal climax on July 27, 2023, when little Preston was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in full cardiac arrest, caused by a catastrophic assault during a horrific sexual assault. Earlier this week, a jury found Varley guilty of a laundry list of vile offenses, including murder, grievous bodily harm (GBH), sexual assault, child cruelty, and even making and distributing indecent images of the baby.
His partner, McGowan-Fazakerley, a salesman, was also slapped with a heavy 25-year prison sentence for his role in the tragedy, having been convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child, cruelty, and sexual assault. The court heard that McGowan-Fazakerley deliberately turned a blind eye to the monster’s actions and even actively participated in a joint attack on the baby just days before his death.
During the dramatic sentencing, Mr. Justice Turner looked directly at Varley and pulled no punches, stating: “You were the only person with Preston that afternoon. You did this. You murdered him.” The judge described the severity of Varley’s crimes as “exceptionally high even in the general context of murder,” detailing a pattern of prolonged, persistent cruelty and deeply sadistic behavior.
The prosecution highlighted multiple aggravating factors that made a whole life order absolutely inevitable, including Preston’s extreme vulnerability as a mere baby, the intense physical and mental suffering inflicted upon him, and the gross, sickening abuse of trust by his adoptive parents. Ironically, the judge noted that Varley’s previous “good character” was the exact shield that allowed him to fly under the radar and deceive professional social workers before it was too late.
As Varley was led down to the cells to begin his eternal nightmare in maximum security, the courtroom stood in stunned silence. While no sentence can ever undo the horrific torture little Preston endured, the judge’s uncompromising words have sent a thunderous message across the nation: monsters who prey on the most vulnerable will face the absolute maximum wrath of the law, buried alive inside a concrete tomb forever.
