Overview
- A jury at Preston Crown Court returned guilty verdicts on Monday, June 15, 2026, finding Jamie Varley guilty of murder and multiple sexual and cruelty offences and convicting John McGowan-Fazakerley of causing or allowing the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey.
- A Home Office post-mortem and expert evidence presented at trial identified about 40 separate internal and external injuries and concluded the cause of death was acute upper-airways obstruction by an object or objects, a finding the prosecution said was consistent with smothering during sexual assault.
- Prosecutors relied on disturbing indecent photos and videos recovered from the defendants’ devices, including material taken four days before Preston’s death that showed him in extreme distress, and those files were described in court as central to proving sustained abuse.
- Preston had been placed with the couple in April 2023 and was seen repeatedly by health staff, social workers and teachers and taken to hospital several times before he died on July 27, 2023, details that have prompted questions about missed opportunities by multiple agencies.
- Sentencing is pending and reports differ on the date; Mr Justice Turner indicated he would pass sentence on Thursday but some coverage cites 18 July, and Oldham Council has said the paused Child Safeguarding Practice Review will now resume.