‘BOO!’: Chilling Video Reveals Twisted Teacher’s Cruel Game With Baby Weeks Before He Murdered the Toddler
A former schoolteacher who appeared to be living the picture-perfect family life has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison after the horrific abuse and murder of a 13-month-old boy. Now, disturbing details revealed in court—including a video showing him deliberately terrifying the exhausted toddler for his own amusement—have stunned the public.
Jamie Varley, 37, received a whole-life order at Preston Crown Court after being convicted of the prolonged torture, sexual abuse, and murder of Preston Davey. The sentence means he will never be eligible for release.
One of the most chilling revelations involved footage Varley recorded himself only weeks before Preston’s death.
According to evidence presented during the case, Varley intentionally stopped the exhausted child from falling asleep by blasting songs from Disney’s Moana soundtrack while leaving bright lights switched on. Every time Preston began drifting off, Varley would suddenly shout “boo,” startling the frightened toddler awake.
The heartbreaking clip has been cited by behavioral experts as an example of deliberate psychological torment.
Specialists have linked the behavior to personality traits commonly associated with the so-called “Dark Triad”—psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Researchers studying human cruelty have suggested that some offenders are motivated not only by causing pain but by taking pleasure in another person’s distress.
Prosecutors argued that the disturbing video reflected a much wider pattern of calculated abuse.
Before Preston died, the toddler had reportedly been taken to hospital on three separate occasions with serious injuries, including a fractured elbow and multiple bruises. Despite the repeated warning signs, explanations provided by Varley reportedly satisfied medical staff, allowing the abuse to continue.
The case has since triggered fresh debate over whether opportunities to protect the child were missed and whether safeguarding systems should have intervened sooner.
According to prosecutors, the abuse reached its tragic conclusion on July 27, 2023.
The court heard that Varley sexually assaulted Preston before suffocating him. He later claimed the child had accidentally drowned in the bath, but medical evidence quickly disproved that account.
A post-mortem examination found no water in Preston’s lungs. Instead, pathologists documented more than 30 visible bruises, extensive internal injuries, and a human bite mark, painting a devastating picture of the violence the toddler had suffered.
Describing the case, the trial judge said it involved prolonged cruelty and sadistic behavior before imposing one of the harshest sentences available under British law.
The revelations shocked many who knew Varley.
He and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, appeared to neighbors and colleagues to be living an “Instagram-perfect” life in Blackpool after Preston was formally placed in their care in March 2023. Varley also worked as a safeguarding lead at South Shore Academy, making the crimes even more difficult to comprehend.
However, former neighbors later described troubling incidents from years earlier. One claimed Varley verbally abused local children and even threw lit cigarettes toward their toys. Former coworkers also recalled behavior they described as manipulative and self-centered, saying he frequently overshared bizarre personal stories while carefully managing the image he projected.
Criminologist David Wilson said Varley was exceptionally skilled at deceiving those around him.
“He was a very skilled manipulator of a narrative,” Wilson said, adding that he knew exactly how to hide his actions behind a respectable public image.
During sentencing, Mr. Justice Turner said he could not rule out the possibility that the horrific abuse had been planned from the moment Preston was placed with the couple.
The case has reignited calls across the UK for stronger child-protection safeguards and greater scrutiny when repeated injuries raise concerns. For many, it remains an unimaginable tragedy—and a painful reminder of how dangerous abuse can remain hidden behind the appearance of a perfect family.
