UK teacher Jamie Varley receives life sentence for killing adopted baby

English high‑school teacher Jamie Varley, 37, was sentenced on June 18, 2026 to a whole‑life order, meaning he will spend the rest of his days in prison without parole, after being convicted of murder, sexual assault, and multiple counts of child cruelty. The offences relate to the death of 13‑month‑old Preston Davey, whom Varley and his partner John McGown‑Fazakerley had adopted in Blackpool. A medical examiner found evidence of at least 40 injuries, indicating the infant suffered prolonged abuse before being killed during a sexual assault.

John McGown‑Fazakerley, 32, was also convicted of child cruelty and allowing the child’s death and received a 25‑year prison term. The court heard that the boy had been taken to hospital several times with bruises and a broken arm that were not acted upon. Victims’ families described the trauma of losing the child and of the neglect by social services.

The case was described by the Crown Prosecution Service as “one of the most shocking and horrific cases” the prosecutor had handled, highlighting concerns over child protection failures and the impact of bias on social‑work responses.