Preston Davey’s twisted killer showed ‘clear warning signs’ before 13-month-old’s death, says crime expert

The Government has been urged to launch a full inquiry into the failings which led to the abuse and murder of 13-month-old boy Preston Davey.

Speaking to GB News, Crime Journalist David Shipley argued that there were "clear warning signs" of abuse in the lead up to the child's death.

Former teacher Jamie Varley, 37, was sentenced today at Preston Crown Court to a whole-life order with no option for parole for the abuse and murder of Preston.

Varley's partner John McGowan-Fazakerley was also sentenced to 25 years for allowing the death of a child, sexual assault and cruelty.

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Preston's biological mother Sarah Davey told the pair in her statement that she will "never forgive" them for what they did to her son.

Reacting to the sentencing, Mr Shipley told GB News there were "many opportunities" for the authorities to intervene.

He said: "Preston was a healthy, thriving baby when he left his foster parents and went to the hands of these two men who tortured him to death.

"And as you rightly said, there were many opportunities where there were clear warning signs in terms of Preston's physical health, the visit to the hospital, and for some reason, no one wanted to intervene."

Mr Shipley urged the Government to conduct a "full inquiry" into the failings which led to Preston's death.

He added: "I know the Government's talking about an investigation, a review, but I think we actually do need a full inquiry for this.

"We need to understand what is behind this decision making - why were they not willing to recognise what was in front of their eyes, which was that this boy was clearly being abused?"

Despairing at the "horrifying" abuse Preston suffered, Mr Shipley said that there are "numerous people" to blame for the failures around the baby's care.

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He told GB News: "Without going into the details, which are particularly horrifying, it seems that repeatedly Preston sustained injuries or stopped breathing as a result of the sexual assaults which he was suffering, and these were never picked up and there were no warning signs when he was taken to the hospital, he wasn't examined properly.

"It's just horrifying, the details of the post-mortem indicate that even on the day he died, the reason he died was the result of assaults, and I think there are numerous people who are to blame here."

Mr Shipley declared that those who "whole positions of responsibility" in such cases "should be held accountable".

He concluded: "I think we have to start recognising people in public life who hold positions of responsibility and must be personally accountable when they get at this wrong, and there should be prosecutions for misconduct in public office, and there should be jail sentences.

A Government spokesman described the murder as a "sickening case of evil abusers exploiting a vulnerable child".

They added the public would "rightly demand answers about what went wrong" and vowed to take steps to ensure "anyone responsible for negligence faces consequences".

The spokesman said: "An independent review has been commissioned by the local authorities and the independent national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel will work with them to get to the bottom of this horrifying case.

"The reviewer will publish their findings as soon as possible."

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