Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says preventing a repeat of Preston Davey case is 'urgent priority'
At education questions on Monday, Ms Phillipson said she was “glad that justice has been served” as she described the two men as “evil abusers”.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has pledged to do “everything within our power” to prevent another child facing the same fate as Preston Davey.
The 13-month-old baby boy was sexually abused and murdered by former South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley.
In the Commons, Ms Phillipson committed to rolling out new safeguards in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 by March.
Jamie Varley, 37, inflicted “unremitting abuse” on Preston before a final, fatal, sexual assault took his life, Preston Crown Court heard last week.
He was given a whole life term and told he will never be eligible for parole.
His now ex-partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, an ex-public schoolboy, was jailed for 25 years for allowing Varley’s treatment of the child and taking part in the sexual abuse.
At education questions on Monday, Ms Phillipson said she was “glad that justice has been served” as she described the two men as “evil abusers”.
The Blackpool Gazette and sister title the Lancashire Post, backed by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb and Preston's birth parents Sarah Davey and Gary Nolan, are calling on the government to launch a national inquiry into the safeguarding failures that cost Preston his life.
Preston Davey deserved better. Demand a national inquiry
Education committee chairwoman Helen Hayes had pressed ministers to set out a timetable for implementing “multi-agency child protection teams in every local authority area”.
The Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood said: “In light of the serious safeguarding failings in Preston’s case and other recent cases of children who should have been safe in the care of the state, can the Secretary of State set out the expected timetable for implementing these reforms, and how quickly we can expect to see stronger safeguarding practice consistently nationwide?”
Ms Philipson said it was a “shocking case” as she committed to rolling out the safeguards in the Act by March.
She added: “Our thoughts must be with all of those who loved and knew Preston, and it is right that the evil abusers that committed these sickening and shocking crimes are now behind bars.
“The House can be assured that we take this extremely seriously, it is why I have asked for independent experts to look at Oldham Council, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the regional adoption agency to look carefully at all of the issues and concerns that have been raised through this process.
“The child safeguard practice review is commencing, led by the local safeguarding partnership with the national child safeguarding practice review, working closely to make sure it is of the highest quality.”
Reform UK education spokeswoman Suella Braverman said: “Amongst the army of health visitors, social workers and medics who saw baby Preston – why did nobody raise the alarm? And what action is being taken now to safeguard the welfare of those children under the care of Oldham Council now?”
Ms Phillipson said it was “an urgent priority for this incoming Government to update legislation to make sure we do everything within our power to keep children safe”.
“I am glad that justice has been served. We can’t bring Preston back, but we can make sure that we do everything within our power to stop this happening to other children in future”, she added.
Chris Webb, the Member of Parliament for Blackpool South, was hoping to bring the ‘Preston Davey deserved better, Demand a nation inquiry’ petition to the attention of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday.
But before he had chance, Sir Keir announced, he will quit as Labour leader and Prime Minister.
Mr Webb has now vowed to take the fight for a public inquiry into the safeguarding failures that cost little Preston Davey his life to highest level ‘at the first possible opportunity’.
He said: “The outpouring of support for a public inquiry into the tragic murder of Preston Davey has been overwhelming.
“Our local community and beyond feel strongly that the safeguarding failures surrounding Preston’s death must be investigated.
“We owe it to him and every vulnerable child in this country to establish exactly what went wrong and what must change to ensure this never happens again.
“Despite the politics of the week I will be making the case for a public inquiry at the first possibly opportunity.”
Little Preston Davey was murdered by the man who was in the process of adopting him. The man he came to know as ‘dad’.
In less than four months living with the couple at their home in Staining Road, Staining, little Preston was sexually assaulted, physically and emotional abused, and left with 40 non-accidential injuries. He was taken to hospital three times. Social workers visited regularly. His abusers even admitted to having dark thoughts about him. And still, nothing stopped it.
Jamie Varley, 37, was given a whole life sentence for murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to Preston. His now ex-partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years for allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.
The question that now has to be asked - and answered - is how a baby boy in the care of the state could be so badly let down by every system designed to protect him.
Preston’s birth mum Sarah davey and birth dad Gary Nolan are backing the campaign.
Preston Davey deserved better. Demand a national inquiry
What is the petition calling for?
The petiton is calling on a nation inquiry to answer the following questions:
- Why were repeated warning signs - three hospital admissions, an abuser's own admission of dark thoughts, routine social worker contact - not acted on?
- Should children placed outside their home authority automatically be assigned a local social worker with direct oversight of their care?
- How are repeat hospital admissions for children in care shared between the NHS, the placing authority, and the authority where the child lives?
- Are adoption vetting procedures rigorous enough to stop prospective adopters hiding behind a false front?
We need you to sign this petition and demand the government acts.
Every child who comes after Preston deserves better too.