Exclusive:Sarah Davey reveals first act after leaving prison was to visit Blackpool killer's home to be close to Preston
“I don’t really know why. I guess I just wanted to feel close to Preston as it was the last place I knew he had spent time,” Sarah Davey told Blackpool Gazette editor Vanessa Sims.
The grieving birth mum of murdered baby Preston Davey said the first thing she did when she got out of prison was visit the home of his killer.
Speaking exclusively to The Gazette from Preston Crown Court after the sentencing, devastated Sarah Davey said she felt compelled to make the trip from her home town of Oldham to Staining in Blackpool to see where the tragic youngster had spent the last months of his life.
Mum-of-two Sarah, 42, said: “The first thing I did when I got out of prison was go down to Blackpool and stand outside the house. I don’t really know why. I guess I just wanted to feel close to Preston as it was the last place I knew he had spent time.
“When I called my mum she said it wasn’t a good place to be and my memories of him were not there.
“But as I said I felt close to him there.”
Preston Davey deserved better. Demand a national inquiry
Sarah has spent the last eight weeks at court hearing about the horrific crimes committed by ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, 37, and his now ex-partner financial salesman John McGowan-Fazakerley against her ‘beautiful boy whose smile could light up a room’.
Supported by her mum Debbie Davey, she wept as judge Mr Justice Turner passed a whole life sentence on Varley and a 25 year sentence on McGowan-Fazakerley.
Reflecting on the fact Varley, who was branded ‘pure evil’ by detectives, will spend the rest of his days behind bars, she said: “I am completely made up with the sentence.
“It was everything we were hoping for.
“We would have liked to have seen McGowan-Fazakerley get the same time, because in our eyes he is equally as guilty.”
The evil pair had been in the process of adopting baby Preston when he died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on July 27, 2023.
He had only moved in with the couple at their home in Staining Road, Staining less than four months earlier.
In the short time he was in their care he suffered more than 40 trauma injuries, with “in excess” of 30 ‘non-accidential’ bruises across his body.
He was taken to hospital three times. Social workers visited regularly. His killer even admitted to having dark thoughts about him. Yet no concerns were raised by the professionals in his life.
Sarah said: “A public inquiry would mean everything to us.
“The safeguarding put in place for Preston was clearly not enough. It was a tick box exercise.
“I stand with The Gazette in calling for a national inquiry to ensure lessons are learnt after what happened to Preston.”
Gary Nolan, Preston’s birth dad said: “We need to ensure this doesn’t happen to any other child in the future. We also need to know it hasn’t happened again since Preston’s death.
“I fully back The Gazette’s campaign for a national inquiry.”
Chris Webb, Blackpool South MP who will take the case directly to the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday, said: “Today’s sentencing won’t bring Preston Davey back.
“This little boy should have been safe, loved and protected but was instead subjected to unimaginable cruelty by those entrusted with his care. I am pleased these despicable individuals have been served the sentences they deserve – they should never be allowed to walk free.
“As a father of a young child myself, I find this case almost impossible to comprehend. It’s heartbreaking and deeply disturbing to read the details of what Preston endured and the number of opportunities there were for intervention.
“Every instinct says somebody should have stepped in and saved him.While those responsible are facing justice, there are fundamental questions that remain unanswered. Why were repeated warning signs missed? Where was the oversight of his care? Why did the systems designed to protect him fail so catastrophically?
“Preston deserved better and I fully support Blackpool Gazette and Lancashire Post's call for a public inquiry into the safeguarding failures surrounding Preston's death.
“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.
“I will be taking this case directly to the Prime Minister when I return to Parliament on Monday.
“We can’t allow this tragedy to be treated as an isolated case. There needs to be accountability, transparency and lessons learned.In his memory we must secure the justice Preston deserves beyond today's sentencing and ensure this never happens again.”
Preston Davey was born on June 16, 2022 in Styal Women’s Prison in Wilmslow.
Sarah had been recalled to prison for breaching her life licence after she was convicted at 14-years-old along with friend — then known as Lisa Healey — of torturing and killing 71-year-old widow Lily Lilley of West Street, Failsworth in 1998.
The pair were both sentenced to a minimum of eight years in prison.
Sarah has been released on licence numerous times since her first release in March 2013 but was awaiting parole when she gave birth to Preston.
She was able to spend the first five days of his life with him in hospital. But as she had no certainty of parole was told he would be unable to keep her newborn son with her behind bars.
Sarah hoped her mum, Debbie, who is also the guardian of her six-year-old daughter, would be able to take care of Preston.
But her mum was battling breast cancer and deemed too unwell by social workers to meet the needs of the newborn baby at that time.
Social workers from Adoption Now working on behalf of Oldham Council took Preston into care at five days old and placed him with long-standing and loving foster carers Sandra and Paul Cooper where he remained until shortly before he turned 10-months-old and was placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.
Sarah was able to make memories with Preston during seven months of regular family time facilitated by the Coopers.
Sarah pleaded with social workers for Preston to stay with the Coopers but was told his placement with them could only ever be temporary.
Preston Davey deserved better. Demand a national inquiry
Then after extensive background checks and getting to know you sessions, a fatal decision was made to match him with his killer and abuser.
Less than four months later and before the adoption could be completed the ‘happy and bubbly baby’ was dead.
Questions now need to be asked - and answered - about how a baby boy in the care of the state could be so badly let down by every system designed to protect him?