A tiny, exhausted 13-month-old baby, sitting up barely able to keep his eyes open on his very first birthday, desperately trying to drift into much-needed sleep. Instead of gentle comfort from the man he called “daddy,” he is jolted awake by a cruel, booming “BOO!” screamed directly into his bewildered little face. This is not a nightmare scenario from a horror film—it is chilling real-life footage of the mental torture inflicted on innocent Preston Davey by Jamie Varley, the adoptive father later convicted of his murder.

The video, released by Lancashire Police and shown to the jury during the trial at Preston Crown Court, captures one of the most disturbing examples of the systematic cruelty Preston endured in the short months he lived with Varley and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley. Filmed late at night with the upbeat soundtrack of Disney’s Moana blaring in the background, it stands as heartbreaking evidence of the psychological abuse layered on top of physical and sexual torment that ultimately stole Preston’s life.

On June 15, 2026, Varley, a 37-year-old former textiles teacher at South Shore Academy, was found guilty of murdering little Preston along with a horrifying list of sexual offences and child cruelty charges. His partner, 32-year-old financial salesman McGowan-Fazakerley, was convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty, and sexual assault. The convictions have left a community in Blackpool and beyond reeling, raising urgent questions about adoption vetting, safeguarding failures, and how two men entrusted with a vulnerable child could inflict such unimaginable pain.

A Life Cut Short: Preston’s Tragic Journey

Preston Davey was born on June 16, 2022, at Wythenshawe Hospital. Taken into care just five days later due to concerns surrounding his birth mother Sarah Davey—a woman with her own dark criminal past—he spent time with loving foster carers before being placed for adoption. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, who were in the process of adopting him through Adoption Now and Oldham Council, welcomed him into their home in Staining, near Blackpool.

For less than four months, Preston lived with the couple. What should have been a fresh start in a forever family turned into a house of horrors. On July 27, 2023, Varley rushed the unconscious toddler to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Despite heroic efforts by medical staff who worked for over an hour, Preston was pronounced dead at 7:20pm. Varley claimed he had left the baby in the bath for a few minutes and returned to find him submerged, but prosecutors dismantled this story, revealing a pattern of abuse far more sinister.

A post-mortem examination uncovered around 40 external and internal injuries consistent with forcible penetration and repeated sexual abuse. The official cause of death was acute airway obstruction—prosecutors argued Preston had been smothered. The little boy’s body bore bruises, a perforated bowel, a bite mark, and other signs of prolonged suffering.

The Sleep Deprivation Video: A Window into Daily Torment

The newly released video from Preston’s first birthday is particularly devastating because it shows deliberate, calculated cruelty for what appears to be nothing more than the perpetrator’s amusement. In the footage, an exhausted Preston is seen struggling to stay awake while sitting up. As he begins to nod off, Varley—identifiable by the distinctive pyjamas he later wore to the hospital on the day of Preston’s death—leans in and shouts “BOO!” startling the bewildered child awake.

Prosecutors explained that this was part of a broader pattern of sleep deprivation used as a form of torture. Around 40 minutes after these videos were recorded, another clip showed Preston lying on the floor, appearing unwell. Varley texted his partner claiming the baby was “ill again” and “might have had another seizure,” but chose not to take him to the hospital. These videos, along with others, were allegedly kept as “trophies” of the abuse.

The court heard how Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley subjected Preston to multiple forms of torment: physical beatings, sexual assaults, emotional manipulation, and neglect. The sleep deprivation videos were used as powerful evidence to demonstrate the mental cruelty the toddler faced daily, compounding the physical injuries documented in the post-mortem.

The Adoptive Fathers: From Trusted Professionals to Convicted Killers

Jamie Varley, a teacher entrusted with educating young people, and John McGowan-Fazakerley presented themselves as loving parents on social media. Yet behind closed doors, according to the prosecution, they inflicted horrors that defy comprehension. Varley faced charges including murder, assault by penetration, multiple counts of child cruelty, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault, and dozens of indecent image offences.

McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing Preston’s death and related offences. The couple had only recently begun the adoption process when Preston moved in, raising serious questions about the thoroughness of background checks and ongoing monitoring by social services.

Preston’s biological family, including his grandmother Debra Davey, had expressed concerns about the placement. Those warnings, they say, were dismissed. The case has sparked outrage over perceived failures in the child protection system that allowed a vulnerable child to slip through the cracks into an abusive environment.

Broader Implications: Systemic Failures and Calls for Justice

This case is not just about two individuals—it highlights deeper issues in how adopted and looked-after children are safeguarded in the UK. Preston was removed from his birth mother at just days old, spent time in foster care, and then entered what should have been a permanent, loving home. Instead, he endured months of abuse before his life was brutally ended.

The release of the sleep deprivation video serves as a stark reminder of the hidden suffering many vulnerable children may face. It also underscores the importance of listening to warning signs—from family concerns to medical red flags during hospital visits that were allegedly missed or downplayed.

Sentencing for Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley is scheduled for Thursday, where the full weight of the court’s judgment will be delivered. For Preston’s family, no sentence can bring back their beloved boy or erase the trauma of knowing what he endured in his final months.

Remembering Preston: A Call to Protect the Innocent

Baby Preston Davey lived just 13 months, but his brief life has left an indelible mark on all who have followed his story. The images of him—smiling in earlier foster care days, contrasted with the haunting footage of his exhaustion and bewilderment—evoke profound sorrow and anger. His story demands accountability not only for his killers but for any systemic lapses that enabled the abuse.

Communities in Blackpool, Greater Manchester, and across the country have expressed outrage, calling for reforms in adoption processes, better training for those working with vulnerable families, and stronger oversight to prevent future tragedies. Preston’s memory must fuel change so that no other child suffers as he did.

The heartbreaking video of that first birthday night—Moana playing, a tired baby desperate for rest, and a cruel “BOO!” shattering the peace—will stay with anyone who sees it. It humanizes the horror, showing Preston not just as a victim statistic but as a real little boy who deserved love, safety, and the chance to grow up happy.

As the legal process concludes, Preston’s family and supporters continue to grieve while advocating for justice and reform. His short life, filled with unnecessary pain, serves as a powerful call to action: to remain vigilant, to listen to children and families, and to ensure that those who prey on the innocent face the full consequences of their evil.

In the end, Preston Davey deserved the world. Instead, he received cruelty disguised as care. His story must never be forgotten—it must drive us to build a society where every child is truly protected, cherished, and given the chance to thrive without fear.