Preston Davey Trial #5

[MmmB777]

In the articles it mentioned the police also visited them at home, but it says above they were called. I don’t recall hearing about it previously, does anyone else know? Did they visit then and do some sort of assessment?

I don’t think police visited the house. Police were called by the hospital because of some staff reports but clearly whoever they then spoke to told them the injuries were accounted for. It really does sometimes read like nobody was prepared to lead with that ‘worst case scenario’ mentality and actually safeguard this child.

 

[Upintheair83]

This timeline is mind blowing. I forgot just how incriminating that abandoned 999 call was for JMF. Think it’s safe to say he had participated in extreme abuse that day too and he was at least worried Preston might die then.
There is no natural pathology that leaves children struggling for breath in the absolute extreme and then breathing normally a day later.


Timeline of Preston Davey's tragic life
2022

June 16

At 7.03pm Preston Davey is born four weeks early, weighing 5lb 7oz to Sarah Davey at Wythenshawe Hospital, south Manchester.

June 21

He is placed into emergency care with foster parents, Sandra and Paul Cooper, by Oldham Council via an interim care order, where he remains for the first nine months of his life.

2023

January 6

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley are approved by Adoption Now, a company providing services to local councils. The company says Preston needs: ‘Love, affection, safety and stability.’

February 13

They meet Preston for the first time during a ‘bumped into’ meeting with Mr and Mrs Cooper and social workers at a pub in Aston-under-Lyne, Manchester.

March 23

Introductory meetings begin proper, first at Mr and Mrs Cooper’s home, then later at Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley’s house, in Staining Road, Blackpool.

March 31

Preston spends his first night at the men's home and is formally placed under their care.

April 6

Varley texts his sister, a baby sleep trainer, saying: 'He's dead meat today. Didn't sleep last night after 11.30pm. Up every one and a half hours.’

April 23-25

Varley takes several videos of himself naked in the bath with Preston, some for over an hour, and other pictures of Preston with his genitals exposed. The prosecution said these showed he had a sexual interest in the baby.

May 11

McGowan-Fazakerley abandons a 999 call then calls 111 to report Preston has ‘breathing problems.’ A call back from a doctor goes unanswered.

May 12

Preston is visited at home by a health visitor and appears well.

May 25

At 11.10am Preston is rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, floppy and unresponsive. Varley reports he has had a nosebleed and the infant has a suspected seizure in A&E.

Nursing staff notice two bruises on his head. A medical report states he has `unexplained injuries, inconsistent with a version of events given.’

Hospital safeguarding are informed and social services and Lancashire Police called.

Following discussions with medical staff the bruises are put down to a baby learning to crawl and are not regarded as suspicious. He is discharged two days later.

June 12

Varley takes a photo of Preston naked and sends it to McGowan-Fazakerley with a crude comment about his private parts.

Another picture shows bruising on the child’s bottom - consistent with a human bite mark.

June 15

The night before Preston’s first birthday.

Varley is angry and frustrated because McGowan-Fazakerley is delayed home from a work trip.

At 9.07pm Varley takes a video showing Preston tired and falling asleep while music from the film Moana plays loudly in the background.

As he nods off Varley wakes him by shouting 'Boo'.

He later takes another video of Preston having an apparent seizure, which the prosecution say is the aftermath of a sexual assault.

June 30

At 8.25pm, Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley take Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital A&E Department, saying he has a rash, diarrhoea, vomiting and high temperature.

Nurses notice bruising to Preston’s head, but staff are shown a home video of the child pulling a toy box onto himself, by way of explanation.

Varley comments: ‘You lot are going to think we have been abusing him or something.’

It is later discovered the toy box video was filmed 12 days earlier. Preston is discharged the following day.

July 4

Social worker Amy Shepherdson visits and finds Preston is not himself and looks 'pale.'

She notes: 'He tried to smile several times but then this changed to a very sad face and a little cry.’

July 6

At 10.36am Varley takes Preston to hospital for third time with an injury to his left arm, which he says Preston sustained as he lay him in his cot the previous evening.

After X-ray, a cast is applied for a fractured elbow.

The child's social worker, Amy Shepherdson, who had been in contact with the hospital, texts Varley to say: `Just to reassure you they said they had absolutely no concerns. U absolutely did the right thing.'

July 7

Preston is visited at home by Helen Magee, an independent reviewer from Oldham social services.

In her report of the visit, apparently addressed to the baby, she writes:

'I did watch your [Preston’s] responses to your daddies quite carefully as I’m aware that you had a few hospital admissions of late and this made me ponder a little bit as to whether there was a problem I could see.

'I decided there wasn’t.’

The same week Varley tells a work colleague he is struggling mentally and having ‘dark thoughts’ about drowning or suffocating Preston.

July 13

Rebecca Warhurst, headteacher of South Shore Academy, in Blackpool, where Varley worked, pays him a welfare visit because of concerns over his mental state.

He reassures her he is ok and she leaves with no concerns.

July 23

Four days before Preston’s death, Varley takes seven photos of Preston, stretching over a period of three minutes, 12 seconds.

The child, asleep or unconscious, has his head and arms over the top horizontal bar of his cot and his neck resting on it, his body partially suspended and his legs in a `frog like’ position.

His tongue is protruding and his lips appear blue.

Later, Varley also takes a picture of Preston’s ‘abnormal’ bottom.

July 27

At 4.45pm, Varley records a 35-second video on his phone of Preston in ‘extreme respiratory distress,’ gasping and in need of immediate resuscitation.

At 6.30pm Preston is rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in a critical condition and Varley reports he found him submerged in the bath.

A team of paramedics, nurses and doctors attempt to resuscitate for 50 minutes, but Preston is pronounced dead at 7.18pm.

July 31

A Home Office post-mortem concludes Preston’s cause of death is due to acute upper airway obstruction and rules out drowning.

The autopsy also finds around 40 external and internal injuries including bruises to Preston's forehead, throat, mouth, bladder, bottom and bleeding in his lungs.

Some of the injuries are regarded as clinical signs of sexual abuse.

2025

June 11/12

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley are arrested and charged in connection with Preston’s death.

2026

April 20

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley go on trial denying all offences.

This is heartbreaking. His little life knew no peace or rest, his only light in the darkness was the time with his foster parents. I'm so sorry Preston

 

[Shinythings]

I have throughout the trial but

Spoiler: Graphic discussion

I’m still leaning more towards the fact it wasn’t about a sexual attraction to minors, I lean more to the fact it was the act of the suffocation and the cruelty that got JV off. I think there was an element of escalation with the cruelty and part of that cruelty included SA rather than the SA being the primary focus. Not everyone that SAs a minor has a sexual attraction to children…SA is about power, and control. The act he did to Preston effectively controlled his breathing…I would put money on that they both consumed pornographic material with similar themes and its likely that those materials escalated until they decided to get their hands on the “perfect” victim - a non verbal, vulnerable child.

This has been my thinking too and I said so earlier in the thread with the SA more about humiliation and torture rather than a sexual kick. I think that side of JV will come out in further investigation.

 

[TheMiceInTheShed]

Guys the vid is starting to pop up on SM for those wishing to avoid.

Thank you.

It seems to be everywhere and I don't want to click by accident. I couldn't bear it.

 

[Elisha97]

I hate this is my first comment on the case since the verdict but.. you can really see how much the media and society hates women and their only purpose is to get adverting clicks for money

Most of the articles I’ve seen so far are about Preston’s mum and what she did. Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s absolutely vile and she’s responsible for Preston’s suffering indirectly but the articles brush over what JV and JMF did to dig up the story on her. The focus has been taken away from the poor little baby at the centre of it all, that should be loved and happy and thriving today and instead is no longer here thanks to two monsters.

I’m so pleased everyone saw them for what they are and what they did; the vile and subhuman treatment of Preston can’t be hidden any longer. There will be no middle class treatment in prison for them.
My heart just breaks for this poor boy. Thank God he had his lovely foster mum and the chance to experience the love and stability and gentleness every baby should have, even though unfairly it was for a very short time. I’m not religious but I hope that there’s somewhere peaceful where he’s resting and experiencing the love and care he should have always continued to have experienced in life

very grateful for Preston’s foster parents, the people who did raise concerns, the police, the pathologist, all the other people involved in the trial, and of course the jury for getting justice for Preston. May he rest in peace

 

[PaddyDomino]

Bless the grandmother. She asked if Preston could stay with the foster carers whilst she received treatment for breast cancer and then she would have him but social services couldn't/wouldn't wait.

I just can't understand why social services wouldn't let him stay in foster care until his grandmother had finished her cancer treatment?
Surely it's better for a child to be with their sibling rather than be adopted away from them?
If Preston's big sister can live with the Davey family, then why couldn't he have been given that chance?

 

[Happytobedivorced]

I don’t get why there this isn’t all over the news and online media. Yes, there are articles but I want to see an outcry. I hope today sees more about these vile guys.
I also don’t want to hear any more about his birth mother; she’s also a murderer and it’s not about her.
This morning, reading more about the timelines etc, I feel utter despair that so many opportunities to save him were lost. It’s horrible reminiscent of so many other child deaths.
Preston should have woken today excited to celebrate his 4th birthday. It’s beyond heartbreaking.

 

[TheMiceInTheShed]

I hate this is my first comment on the case since the verdict but.. you can really see how much the media and society hates women and their only purpose is to get adverting clicks for money

Most of the articles I’ve seen so far are about Preston’s mum and what she did. Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s absolutely vile and she’s responsible for Preston’s suffering indirectly but the articles brush over what JV and JMF did to dig up the story on her. The focus has been taken away from the poor little baby at the centre of it all, that should be loved and happy and thriving today and instead is no longer here thanks to two monsters.

I’m so pleased everyone saw them for what they are and what they did; the vile and subhuman treatment of Preston can’t be hidden any longer. There will be no middle class treatment in prison for them.
My heart just breaks for this poor boy. Thank God he had his lovely foster mum and the chance to experience the love and stability and gentleness every baby should have, even though unfairly it was for a very short time. I’m not religious but I hope that there’s somewhere peaceful where he’s resting and experiencing the love and care he should have always continued to have experienced in life

very grateful for Preston’s foster parents, the people who did raise concerns, the police, the pathologist, all the other people involved in the trial, and of course the jury for getting justice for Preston. May he rest in peace

Excellent post - I agree with every sentiment.

Preston's mother, whatever she did, is not the important one here. PRESTON is.

And for him only to know such a brief time of love in his short life is tragic - but thank God for the caring foster parents who loved, cherished and valued him. I hope that they can come to terms with their terrible loss. This must have affected them terribly - it must have affected everyone connected, even peripherally with this horrible, horrible case.

Those two POS don't deserve to have their names mentioned in the same breath as Preston, or anyone who fought for justice for him. I'll bet that even their own barristers feel soiled by association. I hope last night was one of terrified apprehension for them both and they never get a night's peace again.

 

[rosieflowers]

Something that's sat uncomfortably with me for a while and I feel like I can say it here. Preston looks mixed race to me, I don't believe that both his birth parents were white. And I can't help but wonder if that played an element into his treatment by these two.
Do we know anything about Preston's birth father?

I think his dad is a bit mixed. You can find him on Facebook via the gran's page, he looks in a bad way tbf

 

[AladdinSane]

Excellent post - I agree with every sentiment.

Preston's mother, whatever she did, is not the important one here. PRESTON is.

And for him only to know such a brief time of love in his short life is tragic - but thank God for the caring foster parents who loved, cherished and valued him. I hope that they can come to terms with their terrible loss. This must have affected them terribly - it must have affected everyone connected, even peripherally with this horrible, horrible case.

Those two POS don't deserve to have their names mentioned in the same breath as Preston, or anyone who fought for justice for him. I'll bet that even their own barristers feel soiled by association. I hope last night was one of terrified apprehension for them both and they never get a night's peace again.

I know defence barrister have a job to do but I cannot imagine having to defend these scumbags, knowing that in all likelihood they did what they were accused of and you're essentially just going through the motions.

With regard to Prestons mum, what she did was abhorrent, there is no denying that, the fact she continued in and out of prison of course indirectly led to Preston not being in her care. I only hope that she can use this absolute tragedy to turn her life around. She's obviously been given second chances due to being released etc. And I just hope that this doesnt lead her back down a dark path. That would be a double tragedy.

 

[Ray_of_Sunshine]

I just can't understand why social services wouldn't let him stay in foster care until his grandmother had finished her cancer treatment?
Surely it's better for a child to be with their sibling rather than be adopted away from them?
If Preston's big sister can live with the Davey family, then why couldn't he have been given that chance?

It’s unbearably cruel. It will never sit right with me that the choice was taken away from her and he was ultimately forced to be with two monsters who tortured him to death. He’d be alive today if he was with his nan who desperately wanted him. End of.

 

[GingerSnapped]

I just can't understand why social services wouldn't let him stay in foster care until his grandmother had finished her cancer treatment?
Surely it's better for a child to be with their sibling rather than be adopted away from them?
If Preston's big sister can live with the Davey family, then why couldn't he have been given that chance?

There is a lot of pressure to “secure permanency” for a child in care once it is clear they will not be able to return home, and to do so quickly. If the prognosis was uncertain, if there were other concerns about grandmother’s ability to take on an additional child, if the household circumstances were less than ideal, if mum or dad posed an ongoing risk if he went to grandma - all those things would contribute to a decision not to place him. We might find out more in the case review about the decision to place as I assume the whole process will come under scrutiny.

 

[Emsie]

H

I just can't understand why social services wouldn't let him stay in foster care until his grandmother had finished her cancer treatment?
Surely it's better for a child to be with their sibling rather than be adopted away from them?
If Preston's big sister can live with the Davey family, then why couldn't he have been given that chance?

Honestly I just don't know. Maybe there was a chance that she wouldn't recover and they thought it's best to just let Preston have a clean slate incase she did die.
Perhaps she was assessed and deemed not suitable.
Possibly a cost element. Costs the state a fair bit to look after children.
He should have been able to wait for her though. He was always gonna be safe and loved in foster care.

 

[lookwhatthecatdraggedin1]

Happy 4th birthday to beautiful baby Preston
He should be running round now playing with toys, blowing out candles, having a birthday breakfast. My heart actually hurts

 

[Snookie]

Happy birthday Preston. I’m so sorry this happened to you x

 

[Daisy Uncle]

The extreme pornography was in a hidden folder on his phone. Not csa but bestiality. DM also covered his childhood, no father on birth certificate, then his mum's marriage broke up,one of six kids, a nightmare. It really seems like the screening he had wasn't sufficient.

 

[Happytobedivorced]

The extreme pornography was in a hidden folder on his phone. Not csa but bestiality. DM also covered his childhood, no father on birth certificate, then his mum's marriage broke up,one of six kids, a nightmare. It really seems like the screening he had wasn't sufficient.

Dear God. I don’t know what the answer is as people like that are so adept at hiding things but something needs to change.

 

[Shinythings]

The extreme pornography was in a hidden folder on his phone. Not csa but bestiality. DM also covered his childhood, no father on birth certificate, then his mum's marriage broke up,one of six kids, a nightmare. It really seems like the screening he had wasn't sufficient.

Oh god. It makes you wonder about the dog....

Happy Birthday, Preston. Life would have been the best gift but I hope justice will do.

 

[Happytobedivorced]

Oh god. It makes you wonder about the dog....

Happy Birthday, Preston. Life would have been the best gift but I hope justice will do.

I never thought about the dog

 

[Griftygardener]

I never thought about the dog

Oh God hope the poor thing went to a good home