Preston Davey Case Raises Questions Over Missed Safeguarding Opportunities

The Preston Davey safeguarding review is examining whether opportunities were missed to protect the 13-month-old before his death in July 2023. The review follows the conviction of his adoptive father for murder and the conclusion of a lengthy criminal trial.

Preston died in July 2023, just four months after being placed with his adoptive parents. Following a lengthy criminal trial, Jamie Varley was convicted of murder and a series of child abuse offences, while his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, was found guilty of allowing the death of a child and other related offences.

Now that the criminal proceedings have concluded, attention has turned to an independent child safeguarding practice review that will examine whether warning signs were missed and whether earlier intervention could have changed the outcome.

Early Life and Foster Care

Preston Davey was born on 16 June 2022 at Wythenshawe Hospital in Greater Manchester. Born four weeks prematurely, he weighed approximately 5lb 7oz.

Just five days later, on 21 June 2022, he was placed into emergency foster care under an interim care order arranged by Oldham Council. He remained with foster carers for the first nine months of his life.

Court proceedings later heard that Preston appeared to settle well in foster care before plans were made for his adoption.

Adoption Process

On 6 January 2023, Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley were approved as adoptive parents through Adoption Now, a regional adoption agency that works with local authorities.

The couple first met Preston on 13 February 2023 during a visit at his foster carers’ home.

After a series of introductions and transition visits, Preston spent his first night at the couple’s Blackpool home on 1 April 2023 and was formally placed in their care.

However, evidence later presented during the trial suggested that difficulties emerged shortly after the placement began.

On 6 April 2023, a text message sent by Varley to his sister discussed frustrations over Preston’s sleeping patterns and the challenges of caring for the child.

First Medical Concerns

The first major concern arose on 25 May 2023 when Preston was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital after becoming unresponsive and experiencing breathing difficulties.

Medical staff observed bruising to his head. Hospital safeguarding procedures were triggered, and social services and Lancashire Police were informed.

A medical report referred to injuries that were not fully explained by the account provided at the time.

Despite those concerns, discussions between healthcare professionals concluded that the bruising could be consistent with a child learning to walk and was not treated as suspicious.

Lancashire Police later confirmed that officers attended following the referral but that medical staff did not identify concerns suggesting deliberate harm.

As a result, no further police action was taken at that stage.

Repeated Hospital Visits

Just over a month later, on 30 June 2023, Preston returned to hospital.

His carers reported that he was suffering from a rash, vomiting, diarrhoea and a high temperature. Medical staff once again noticed bruising to his head.

During the assessment, a video was shown which was said to demonstrate how the injuries had occurred while Preston was playing. Investigators later established that the footage had been recorded several days earlier.

The trial heard that during this visit Varley remarked that staff would probably think the couple had been abusing the child.

Less than a week later, on 6 July 2023, Preston was taken to hospital for a third time after suffering an injury to his left arm.

Doctors confirmed a fractured elbow and applied a cast.

The injury was said to have happened while Preston was being placed into his cot.

The child’s social worker later contacted the family following discussions with medical staff and indicated that no concerns had been raised regarding the explanation given for the injury.

When the social worker visited the home, notes recorded that Preston appeared unusually subdued.

Growing Concerns

On 7 July 2023, an independent reviewer from Oldham social services visited the family as part of the adoption monitoring process.

During the same period, evidence presented at trial suggested that Varley confided in a colleague about struggling mentally and experiencing disturbing thoughts concerning Preston.

These comments would later become an important part of the prosecution case as investigators examined the circumstances leading up to the child’s death.

The Final Weeks

One of the most disturbing pieces of evidence emerged from photographs taken on 23 July 2023.

The images showed Preston in a concerning position in his cot. Prosecutors argued that the photographs demonstrated serious welfare concerns and formed part of the wider evidence presented to jurors.

Four days later, on 27 July 2023, a video recorded on a mobile phone captured Preston suffering severe breathing difficulties.

Later that evening, emergency services were called and Preston was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in a critical condition.

Varley told medical staff that he had found the child submerged in a bath.

Doctors, nurses and paramedics fought to save Preston’s life for approximately 50 minutes.

Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at 7:18pm.

Post-Mortem Examination

A Home Office post-mortem examination carried out on 31 July 2023 concluded that Preston died from acute upper airway obstruction.

The examination also documented numerous injuries.

Expert evidence presented during the trial led investigators to conclude that the findings were inconsistent with accidental causes.

The results triggered a major criminal investigation involving specialist officers, forensic experts and child protection teams.

Criminal Trial

The case eventually came before Preston Crown Court on 20 April 2026.

Jurors heard evidence from doctors, police officers, social workers, safeguarding specialists and other professionals involved in Preston’s care.

The prosecution argued that Preston had suffered repeated abuse during the four months he lived with the couple.

Both defendants denied the allegations against them.

The trial examined medical records, photographs, videos, witness testimony and expert evidence relating to Preston’s injuries and final weeks.

Verdicts

On 15 June 2026, the jury returned guilty verdicts.

Jamie Varley was convicted of murder along with multiple child abuse offences, including cruelty offences, grievous bodily harm and sexual offences involving the child.

John McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing the death of a child as well as additional offences connected to Preston’s treatment.

The convictions marked the end of a case that shocked investigators, healthcare professionals and child protection agencies.

Safeguarding Review Resumes

With the criminal proceedings complete, an independent child safeguarding practice review has resumed.

The review will examine how agencies responded to concerns about Preston’s welfare and whether opportunities existed for earlier intervention.

Oldham Council confirmed that the review would investigate the handling of safeguarding issues throughout Preston’s life and assess whether lessons can be learned.

Adoption Now described the case as deeply upsetting and stated that its approval process follows all relevant legislation and guidance.

Lancashire Police also confirmed that the May 2023 hospital referral was the only safeguarding contact officers received regarding Preston before the day he died.

Questions That Remain

The safeguarding review is not intended to determine criminal responsibility, which has already been established through the courts.

Instead, it will seek to understand how information was shared between agencies, whether concerns were recognised quickly enough and whether intervention opportunities existed before Preston’s death.

For child protection experts, one of the most important questions is whether individual incidents that appeared explainable on their own should have been viewed differently when considered together.

The findings of the review are expected to be closely examined by social services, healthcare providers, adoption agencies and safeguarding professionals across the country.

Could stronger communication and earlier action by the agencies involved have prevented the tragic death of Preston Davey?