Hospital where medics failed to raise alarm about Preston Davey also missed opportunity to help second murdered toddler just a day before

By JAMES TOZER, NORTHERN CORRESPONDENT Published: 11:21, 25 June 2026 | Updated: 11:26, 25 June 2026 A hospital missed an opportunity to help a second murdered toddler just a day before medics failed to raise the alarm about Preston Davey's injuries, it has emerged. Staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital failed to flag concerns about 13-month-old Preston despite his ‘evil’ adoptive fathers taking him to A&E three times in a matter of weeks. An outpouring of horror since teacher Jamie Varley, 37, was last week ordered to spend the rest of his life in jail for sexually abusing and murdering him has led to demands for a wider inquiry into the string of safeguarding failures. Now it has emerged that just a day before Preston was taken to the scandal-hit hospital for the third time, staff also failed to raise the alarm about another abused toddler. Damion Russell was taken to A&E at the Lancashire hospital on June 29, 2023 after suffering a ‘febrile convulsion’. But medics did not ask his father, Daniel Hardcastle, about an old bruise on his forehead. Weeks later the ‘delightful’ two-year-old was murdered by Hardcastle, 31, in what a court heard was a ‘horrifically violent’ attack. A post mortem examination found Damion’s body was ‘covered in injuries, top to toe and front to back’ including an adult bite mark. At least eight missed opportunities were missed to save Preston Davey (pictured) before he was murdered by teacher Jamie Varley, who was in the process of adopting him Jamie Varley, 37,subjected Preston to 'unremitting abuse' before murdering the 13-month-old at his home in Blackpool A safeguarding practice review later found that it would have been ‘expected practice’ for A&E staff to ask the tattoo artist – who had only recently been granted sole custody of his son - about the bruise. Hardcastle was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years in July 2024. Now a Blackpool MP has said ‘serious questions’ needed to be answered to establish whether ‘wider systemic failures’ played a part in the abuse suffered by Preston and Damion not being spotted until it was too late. It comes after a Daily Mail investigation in 2025 branded Blackpool Victoria ‘the hospital that shames Britain’ after a staggering six of its medical staff were sent to prison for serious criminal offences in a two-year period. The hospital was also beset by damning inspections of its ‘chaotic’ emergency department as well as claims of a culture of ‘bullying’ and ‘harassment’. Medical staff are expected to ask families about bumps, bruises or other injuries found when children are brought to hospital.  Curly-haired Preston was taken from his birth mother, herself a convicted murderer, at just five days old in 2022 and was in the process of being adopted when he was killed. He spent his first night at the home of Varley - a former head of year at a secondary school - and his ex-public schoolboy boyfriend, salesman John McGowan-Fazakerley, in Blackpool at the end of March 2023. The infant was taken to the hospital - including with suspicious bruises and a broken elbow - three times, on May 25, June 30 and July 7. Damion Russell was killed by his 'evil' father, tattoo artist Daniel Hardcastle Hardcastle was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years. He won sole custody of Damion after fighting through a family court to take care of the toddler He was also seen by a 'battery of professionals' and police were even called in the weeks before his death. Yet no one raised the alarm before he was murdered by Varley on July 27, 2023. Varley was last week given a whole life sentence, while McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years for allowing Preston’s death and participating in a sickening sexual assault on the infant. In response, the Government announced it was intervening to bolster a safeguarding review of Preston's death by the council in Oldham, Greater Manchester, where his birth family are from. But Blackpool South Labour MP Chris Webb is now campaigning alongside Preston’s birth parents in calling for a public inquiry into the case. Like Preston, Damion was removed from his birth mother and placed with foster parents. But following a DNA test which confirmed he was the father, Hardcastle applied for custody. He fought through the family court, winning sole custody of Damion in May 2023 following a 12 month assessment period. Preston's biological mother Sarah Davey, 42, with Gary Nolan, 43, at the murder trial Blackpool Victoria Hospital has been embroiled in multiple scandals in recent years The pair moved to a flat in Blackpool, with support from family members, social workers and mental health charity Dad Matters. But fatefully Hardcastle's mother was taken into hospital, and he began drinking. On August 19, 2023, Hardcastle called 999 reporting his son had fallen on a coffee table while playing. Police and paramedics who rushed to the flat were instantly sceptical about the account Hardcastle gave. Attempts had been made to clean blood from the floor and bloodstained clothes and bedding had been placed in bin bags and the washing machine. Damion had injuries 'from head to toe, front to back', a trial heard. Two days after the attack, Damion's life support was withdrawn and he died in Manchester Children's Hospital. Scans and a post mortem confirmed Damion had suffered a litany of injuries over at least three days before the serious head injury which resulted in his death. Among them were a bite mark to his leg, which Hardcastle claimed he had caused during 'rough play' a week earlier. However experts said Damion must have been in agony and screaming as a result of the injury. The toddler had injuries 'from head to toe, front to back', his trial heard A review into his death by the multi-agency Blackpool Safeguarding Children panel later found the only time practitioners ‘did not follow expected practice’ was when Damion was taken to A&E on June 29, 2023. Damion – referred to as Child A – was noted to have an ‘old, mild black bruise spot’ but Hardcastle was not asked about it. The report said the ‘central issue’ which culminated in his tragic abuse and murder was Hardcastle losing the support of other relatives, and failing to tell professionals he was ‘struggling’.  Hannah Joy Hocking, a friend of Damion's biological mother, told the BBC that he should be included in any inquiry into Preston's death. 'I've seen the news articles about Preston recently, and my brain instantly just went into thinking about Damion,' she said. 'I think there should be a full inquiry, I completely agree with that and I feel like people need to stand up for these two little boys. 'I feel like Preston's getting a lot of attention at the moment and I do feel like Damion got a little bit left behind.' Local MP Mr Webb told the Blackpool Gazette it was ‘deeply concerning’ that ‘safeguarding opportunities’ relating to Damion and Preston ‘appear to have been missed by Blackpool Victoria Hospital’ just a day apart. ‘No two cases are the same but when multiple children suffer the most tragic outcomes imaginable despite being seen by professionals, it is right that serious questions are asked,’ he added. ‘That is exactly why I have been calling for a public inquiry following Preston's death. ‘This isn't about blaming individual frontline workers who do an incredibly difficult job. It's about understanding why opportunities to protect these children were missed, whether wider systemic failures played a role and how we make sure it never happens again. ‘Preston Davey and Damion Russell deserved better. ‘We now have a duty to learn every possible lesson from their deaths and ensure other vulnerable children do not suffer the same fate.’ Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has pledged that the Government would do ‘everything within our power’ to prevent another child facing the same fate as Preston. Independent experts have been sent in 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’, she added. Responding today to the review into Damion’s death, Maggie Oldham, Chief Executive at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said it was a ‘deeply tragic and upsetting case’ and it ‘fully accepted’ its findings. ‘Although the review made no specific recommendations relating to Damion’s treatment while under the care of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, we recognise the importance of continuing to strengthen practice and provide reassurance to families using our services,’ she added. ‘Importantly, work was already underway before the review was published to support staff in the Emergency Department and in other areas where children are cared for. ‘This has focused on making sure appropriate examinations take place, that staff are confident in asking the right questions, and that any concerns are considered and escalated in line with safeguarding processes. ‘Families bringing their children to our hospital can expect our teams to ask questions about any bumps, bruises or other injuries identified, whether recent or older. ‘For babies who are not walking independently, our teams will carry out a full examination while they are in the Emergency Department.’ No comments have so far been submitted. 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