Public bodies responsible for safeguarding murdered toddler Preston Davey are set to face fresh scrutiny after a senior coroner indicated he is “highly likely” to resume a full inquest into the 13-month-old’s death. Senior Coroner Alan Wilson, sitting at Blackpool Coroner’s Court, said there is “sufficient reason” to reopen proceedings into Preston’s death, although a final decision will be made after legal submissions have been received from the agencies involved in the child’s care. The inquest was originally opened following Preston’s death in July 2023 but was suspended while criminal proceedings were carried out.
Murder shocked the nation
Preston, who had been adopted only months before his death, was murdered by his adoptive parent Jamie Varley, a former teacher, during a sexual assault at the family’s home in Blackpool. Varley was later sentenced to a whole-life order after being convicted of Preston’s murder along with 24 additional offences, including sexual offences involving other children. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, was jailed for 25 years for related offences. The case sparked national outrage after details emerged of the abuse suffered by the toddler.
Safeguarding agencies under the spotlight
During the hearing, the coroner indicated that the actions of the public bodies responsible for Preston’s welfare should now be examined in detail. Before his death, Preston had reportedly been seen by a “battery of professionals”, including hospital staff, social workers, welfare officers and other healthcare professionals. He had attended Blackpool Victoria Hospital on three occasions in the months leading up to his murder. While some of those issues were explored during the criminal trial, Mr Wilson said the proceedings did not fully examine whether safeguarding agencies acted appropriately or whether opportunities to intervene had been missed.
Wide-ranging inquest expected
If the inquest resumes, it is expected to examine:
- The timeline of Preston’s medical treatment and welfare contacts.
- Decisions made by children’s social care and adoption services.
- Hospital assessments and any follow-up actions.
- Communication between agencies involved in Preston’s care.
- Whether opportunities to safeguard the toddler were missed.
The coroner stressed that the purpose of the inquest would not be to revisit the criminal convictions but to establish how Preston came by his death and whether any systemic failings contributed to the circumstances that allowed the abuse to continue.
Safeguarding reviews continuing
Alongside the inquest process, the Oldham Safeguarding Children Partnership has resumed its statutory Child Safeguarding Practice Review into Preston’s death after it was paused during the criminal proceedings. That review is expected to conclude by January 2027. A separate Government-commissioned investigation is also underway. Mr Wilson said he must consider the findings of both reviews before formally ordering the resumption of the inquest, although he indicated the evidence already available strongly points towards the need for further public examination.
Families seek answers
If resumed, the inquest is not expected to take place until autumn 2027. For Preston’s family and the wider public, the proceedings are expected to provide an opportunity to examine how a child who came into repeated contact with professionals could still become the victim of such horrific abuse. The court is expected to decide whether to formally resume the inquest once submissions from the relevant public bodies have been considered.
