A CITY IS PREPARING FOR AN EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE
Blackpool Tower will soon glow blue in memory of 13-month-old Preston Davey, whose tragic death left an entire community devastated. As preparations begin, painful details from the case are once again drawing widespread attention. One new development is now leaving many people stunned—and reopening wounds that never truly healed…
In the heart of Blackpool, a seaside town known for its bright lights, laughter, and iconic Tower, a solemn tribute is underway that has brought tears to the eyes of locals and strangers alike. On July 27, the famous Blackpool Tower will illuminate in a soft, poignant blue light — a colour chosen to honour the memory of little Preston Davey, the innocent baby boy whose short life was stolen in the most unimaginable way.
Preston, born on June 16, 2022, was just 13 months old when he died on July 27, 2023, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. To the outside world, he should have been a bubbly toddler full of giggles and first steps. Instead, his tiny body bore the scars of months of horrific abuse at the hands of the very men who were supposed to protect him.
Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old secondary school teacher, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, a sales manager, had been approved for adoption. In April 2023, nine-month-old Preston was placed in their care in their home near Blackpool. What followed over the next four months was a nightmare of physical assaults, sexual abuse, and emotional torment that prosecutors described as “routinely ill-treated.”
Varley was convicted of Preston’s murder, along with child cruelty and sexual offences. He received a whole-life order — meaning he will never be released from prison. McGowan-Fazakerley was jailed for 25 years for causing or allowing the death of a child and other offences. The court heard harrowing evidence of Preston suffering around 40 injuries in total.
On that fateful final day, Varley claimed he had left Preston in the bath and returned to find him submerged. But medical experts found no evidence of drowning. Preston was dry, and the true cause of death was ruled as acute upper airway obstruction — likely from smothering or an object being forced into the baby’s mouth. Tragically, Varley had even recorded a video earlier that day of the struggling infant.
The community in Blackpool has been left reeling. Candlelit vigils have been held, with residents gathering to remember the little boy who should have been celebrating his fourth birthday this week. Preston’s biological mother, Sarah Davey, spoke of her “unimaginable pain,” wondering what horrors her son endured in those final months. “Preston should be here today… instead, he is forever 13 months old,” her statement read in court.
The request for the Tower lighting is understood to have come from Preston’s birth family, a touching way to ensure his memory shines brightly in the town where his life ended so cruelly. Officials at the Tower have embraced the idea, turning a landmark of joy into one of remembrance and reflection.
This tribute isn’t just about lights — it’s a collective cry from a city that feels the weight of this loss. How could such evil be hidden behind the facade of an adopting couple? Questions linger about safeguarding failures, with reviews ongoing into how the abuse went undetected despite multiple hospital visits in the weeks before Preston’s death.
Locals have shared their heartbreak online and in person. “This story has hit my heart so so much,” one resident posted, calling for the community to gather with candles near the Tower. Others have expressed outrage at the system that placed a vulnerable baby into such danger.
Preston Davey was described as a happy, healthy baby before entering that household. His murder has sparked calls for tighter adoption checks and better protection for children in care. As the blue lights climb the Tower on July 27, they will symbolise not only mourning but a vow to remember and fight for justice for little ones like Preston.
In the words of those who loved him, Preston’s light may have been dimmed far too soon, but through this emotional tribute, his memory will glow eternally — a heartbreaking reminder of innocence lost and a community’s unbreakable spirit. Blackpool will never forget baby Preston.
Rest in peace, sweet Preston. Your story has touched us all.