How Adoptive Parents’ Lies Unraveled to Reveal ‘Reign of Terror’

How adoptive parents lies unravelled to reveal – On 27 July 2023, Jamie Varley, a former teacher, stood by the bedside of his 13-month-old adopted son, Preston Davey, as medical staff fought to save his life. In a desperate plea, Varley told the doctors: “It’s my fault – I left him for literally two minutes while I went to change.” This statement, initially framed as an admission of guilt, marked the beginning of a cascade of falsehoods that would eventually unravel under scrutiny. The tragic truth about Preston’s death emerged months later, revealing a pattern of sexual and physical abuse that had been systematically concealed.

A Murder Conviction and a String of Offenses

After an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Jamie Varley was found guilty of murder and a series of other charges, including sexual assault and possession of indecent images of the child. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, also faced conviction for allowing Preston’s death, child cruelty, and sexual abuse. The case highlighted how the couple’s initial accounts of the incident had been manipulated to obscure the full extent of their actions.

“Jamie Varley is a manipulator. He has sought to change his account, frustrate and blame others when the truth was right there in front of him,” said Lancashire Police Det Ch Insp Andy Fallows, the senior investigating officer. “He had caused those injuries and he had killed Preston Davey.”

Fallows emphasized that Varley’s behavior during the hospital emergency was “almost like a pantomime.” The jury witnessed him on that fateful night throwing himself to the floor, expressing doubt about the events, which Fallows called “very contrived.” In contrast, during suspect interviews on 25 June 2025, just before charges were filed, Varley’s demeanor had shifted dramatically, appearing obstructive, inconsistent, and altogether unbelievable.

The Abuse Timeline and Medical Evidence

Preston Davey had been placed in care at just five days old, spending the first nine months of his life with foster parents who deeply loved him. However, in April 2023, the child was adopted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley. Shortly after moving into their Blackpool home, Preston began exhibiting non-accidental injuries—bruising, seizures, and respiratory failures—suggesting a pattern of abuse. By the time of his death, the evidence of harm had become overwhelming.

On the evening of 27 July 2023, Varley rushed Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, having taken a year off work as head of year at a high school. He claimed to have left the child in the bath for two or three minutes before returning to find him submerged. Medics, however, were unable to revive Preston, and he was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination revealed 40 trauma injuries, some consistent with “forcible penetration” and sexual abuse, effectively ruling out drowning as the cause of death.

“My view is that the bath incident never happened at all, as Preston wasn’t wet,” Fallows stated. “There was no evidence of drowning, no evidence in the autopsy that Preston had swallowed water. It was wholly inconsistent.”

Fallows argued that Varley’s version of events was designed to mislead. The couple had not only inflicted physical harm but also subjected Preston to psychological torment, including keeping a clearly tired baby awake for entertainment and videoing him while submerged in a bath for 14 minutes. These acts, he said, reflected a “sordid amusement” where the child was treated as a possession rather than a person.

The Role of the Partner and Systemic Failures

While Varley was directly responsible for the critical moments leading to Preston’s death, McGowan-Fazakerley’s role was equally significant. Though he was at work on the day of the incident, Fallows noted that the partner had taken a “hear no evil, see no evil” approach. “He saw and cared for Preston every day,” Fallows said. “He must have seen a significant amount of injuries over the four-month period.”

Photographic evidence showed bite marks on Preston’s buttocks, and there was clear documentation of a fractured arm. Despite this, McGowan-Fazakerley had not intervened or raised concerns. Fallows pointed out that the partner was not present during the hospital emergency but should have known about the abuse. “He wasn’t there that evening, but he should have known,” the officer remarked.

Fallows also critiqued the investigation’s focus, noting that the police had concentrated on prosecuting the two men rather than examining what other agencies might have done differently. “The police investigation had not looked at what could have or should have happened by other agencies,” he said. “We were focused on the individuals who were in direct contact with Preston.”

A Pattern of Emotional and Physical Abuse

During the trial, the jury was presented with a range of evidence detailing the emotional cruelty inflicted on Preston. Fallows described how the child had been kept awake for no reason other than to entertain the couple, with one witness recalling “keeping a clearly tired sleeping baby awake for no other purpose other than amusement.” Another incident involved leaving the baby in a bath for 14 minutes while recording the event, a detail that underscored the callousness of the situation.

“It was almost like a sordid amusement that Jamie Varley has treated Preston as a plaything, as his property,” Fallows said. “And that poor child has been subject to a reign of terror.” The officer’s words painted a grim picture of a life marred by repeated injuries and psychological distress. The abuse, he argued, had not only caused physical harm but also left deep emotional scars.

The case also raised questions about the effectiveness of child protection systems. While Preston had thrived under his foster parents’ care, the transition to adoption had marked a turning point. The couple’s actions had shifted from nurturing to destructive, with Varley’s lies serving as a cover for their abuse. The post-mortem findings, combined with the testimony of medical staff and the partner, painted a damning portrait of their neglect and cruelty.

Legacy of a Tragic Story

The conviction of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley has left a lasting impact on the community and on the families involved. For Fallows, the case was a reminder of how quickly a child’s life can change when those in charge of their well-being turn against them. “We saw a very different Jamie Varley in the suspect interviews,” he said. “Both in terms of appearance, demeanour, and attitude. It was as if he was trying to reshape the narrative to protect himself.”

Preston’s death serves as a tragic testament to the consequences of unchecked abuse. His journey from a happy, contented child in foster care to a victim of a “reign of terror” under his adoptive parents highlights the vulnerability of children in adoption. The medical evidence and testimonies from the trial have now cemented the truth: the bath incident was a calculated lie, and the real cause of Preston’s death was a combination of physical and sexual abuse that had been systematically ignored.

As the trial concluded, the focus shifted from the initial account of drowning to the broader picture of harm. The couple’s actions had not only led to Preston’s death but also exposed the fragility of trust in caregiving relationships. Fallows’ assertion that the police investigation had prioritized prosecution over a more comprehensive review of the case has sparked discussions about the need for systemic improvements in child protection and investigation processes.