Public fury has reached a boiling point following the sentencing of John McGowan-Fazakerley and Jamie Varley for the tragic loss of little Preston Davey. Placed into their care as a healthy 13-month-old, Preston suffered over 40 severe injuries in just a few short months before his airways were deliberately obstructed. While Varley received life behind bars, investigators reviewing the approval files discovered a devastating flaw in the screening process that allowed…
“THE SYSTEM TRUSTED THEM” — SECOND MAN GETS 25 YEARS AS HORRIFIC DETAILS OF PRESTON DAVEY’S DEATH EMERGE
Public fury has reached a boiling point after John McGowan-Fazakerley was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the horrific death of 13-month-old Preston Davey. The toddler was placed into the care of McGowan-Fazakerley and Jamie Varley as a healthy baby — only to suffer more than 40 severe injuries in just a few short months before his airways were deliberately obstructed, leading to his tragic death.
While Jamie Varley received a whole-life sentence for the murder, the sentencing of McGowan-Fazakerley has left many demanding answers about how the system allowed this to happen.
The Devastating Injuries
Medical experts testified that Preston arrived in the household as a healthy, thriving 13-month-old. In the months that followed, he suffered extensive injuries including multiple fractures, internal bleeding, and signs of repeated abuse. The final cause of death was obstruction of his airways — a deliberate act that prosecutors described as “the culmination of sustained cruelty.”
The court heard harrowing evidence of how the child’s suffering was ignored or concealed until it was too late.
Flaws in the Screening Process Exposed
As investigators reviewed the approval files for the placement, a devastating flaw in the screening process has come to light. Sources say background checks on both men were rushed and incomplete, with key red flags — including previous concerns about domestic issues and anger management — either overlooked or downplayed.
One senior child protection official admitted privately that “the system trusted them when it should not have.” The informal nature of the arrangement, combined with pressure to find placements quickly, allowed the two men to gain custody without proper oversight.
Public Outrage and Calls for Reform
The sentencing has triggered widespread anger across the UK. Petitions demanding a full public inquiry into the case and major reforms to the foster and kinship care system have gathered tens of thousands of signatures in just 48 hours.
Parents and child protection advocates are asking how two individuals with warning signs were allowed to care for a vulnerable toddler. Many are pointing to systemic failures that prioritised speed over safety.
One protestor outside the court said: “They trusted them with a baby. And that baby is dead. How many more children have to die before the system changes?”
The Families’ Pain
Preston’s biological family has been left devastated. In a brief statement after the sentencing, they said: “No sentence will bring our boy back. We just want to know why this was allowed to happen.”
Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley will both spend decades behind bars. But for the family and the public, the bigger question remains: how did the system fail so badly that a healthy toddler was placed in the hands of men who would cause his death?
The case of little Preston Davey has become a national symbol of what can go wrong when safeguards are ignored.
The system trusted them. And a child paid with his life.
Disclaimer: This is a true crime discussion blog. Images are from public records. We are not law enforcement.