'Horrific tragedy': Andrew Snowden MP on Preston Davey death and calls for national inquiry
“For a child not to have that, and even worse, to be actively harmed and abused by those who are meant to protect him, it’s just horrible.”
Andrew Snowden MP has backed calls for an independent inquiry into Preston Davey’s death, describing the case as a 'horrific tragedy’ and a ‘system failure’.
The Fylde MP has also backed the Gazette’s justice campaign for little Preston Davey.
“It was a horrific tragedy, and myself and Chris Webb have spoken quite a bit about it,” Andrew Snowden said. “I agree with Chris, there should be some form of independent review and independent inquiry into it. I saw that the Gazette took their campaign to Downing Street, and I support that as well.
“I have a four-year-old. When I get back from London and I pick him up from school, and see that look in his eyes when he runs across and gives me a hug... he looks at me, and he feels safe. For a child not to have that, and even worse, to be actively harmed and abused by those who are meant to protect him, it’s just horrible.”
Preston Davey’s evil killer Jamie Varley will spend the rest of his life behind bars after Justice Mark Turner sentenced Varley to a full life order without the option for parole during last June’s trial at Preston Crown Court.
Varley was also found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, inflicting grievous bodily harm, four counts of child cruelty, ten counts of making indecent images of a child, two counts of possessing indecent images of a child and one count of distributing an indecent image of a child.
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Varley’s husband, John McGowan-Fazakerley, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child, one count of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 and two counts of child cruelty. He will serve 25 years in prison.
“Having been the police commissioner, I have seen the standard where these things have slipped through the net,” Andrew Snowden continued.
“It’s difficult because, on one hand, every time there is a tragedy, we end up legislating for the individual tragedy and a set of unintended consequences across the rest of the system.
“Whereas actually, in most cases, it’s people not being empowered to do their job and spot these things and proactively manage it, and it’s just general system failure.”