How adoptive parents' lies unravelled to reveal 'reign of terror'

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. How adoptive parents' lies unravelled to reveal 'reign of terror'29 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleLauren HirstNorth WestLancashire PolicePreston Davey was subjected to physical, sexual and emotional abuse during the final four months of his life As Jamie Varley begged medics to save the life of his adopted 13-month-old son, he told them: "It's my fault – I left him for literally two minutes while I went and got changed. "This was not an admission of guilt, but the start of Varley's web of lies. The truth behind Varley's months of deceit only came to light when his baby Preston Davey died in hospital on 27 July 2023 after months of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of the 37-year-old former teacher.

After an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Varley - who had maintained that Preston drowned in the bath - was found guilty of murdering him, and a string of other offences including sexual assault and taking indecent images of the child he was trusted to care for. Varley's partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was also convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual abuse. Warning: The following court evidence contains distressing informationFor Lancashire Police Det Ch Insp Andy Fallows, who was the senior investigating officer on the case, Varley's behaviour in hospital was "almost like a pantomime".

The Details

"We see a very different Jamie Varley at different stages," said Fallows. "The jury has seen him on that evening , throwing himself to the floor... saying that he didn't believe it was true...

it felt very contrived. "We saw a very different Jamie Varley in the suspect interviews on 25 June 2025 just before he was charged, both in terms of appearance, demeanour and attitude. "I think we saw a different Jamie Varley giving evidence during his trial: obstructive, wholly inconsistent and wholly unbelievable.

"Jamie Varley is a manipulator. "He has sought to change his account, frustrate and blame other people when the truth was there right in front of him. "He had caused those injuries and he had killed Preston Davey.

What Experts Say

" Jurors have been shown footage of Jamie Varley being asked to come to his adopted son's bedside when medics could not revive himPreston, who had been taken into care when he was five days old, and nine months later, in April 2023 was adopted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley. After Preston began living at their home in Blackpool in Lancashire he began to suffer non-accidental "cluster" injuries of bruising, seizures or respiratory failures, and there was evidence of abnormality of his anatomy. On 27 July 2023, he was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital by Varley, who had taken a year off work as head of year at a high school, to adopt him.

He told medical staff he had left the child in the bath for two or three minutes and returned to find him submerged. Medics were unable to revive Preston, and he was pronounced dead in hospital.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.