A woman who was once known as one of Britain’s infamous teen offenders for the brutal killing of an elderly woman is now facing a life sentence for the murder of her 13-month-old child, Preston Davey.
Sarah, the mother of Preston, committed the heinous crime at the age of 14 when she and a friend assaulted Lily Lilley, a 71-year-old woman, in Failsworth, Greater Manchester. Lily was tormented, sprayed with shampoo, and cut with a knife before being disposed of in a wheelie bin and dumped into a canal. The culprits took over Lily’s residence, made numerous calls from her phone, and used her pension funds for snacks.
Sarah’s mother, Debra Davey, expressed concern about the resurfacing of her daughter’s past crimes in light of Preston’s tragic demise. Debra shared her devastation over losing Preston, revealing her initial plans to assist Sarah in caring for him before her own health issues intervened.
Following Preston’s death, arrests were made in connection with the case, prompting Debra to question the delay in legal proceedings and expressing anguish over the unimaginable suffering Preston endured. She criticized the various agencies involved for not flagging Preston’s case and demanded accountability for the oversights.
The parole board’s decision to release Preston’s mother in March 2024 was highlighted, along with her repeated breaches of parole conditions related to the original murder. The Oldham Council expressed condolences to Preston’s family and initiated a Child Safeguarding Practice Review to assess the handling of Preston’s protection.
The Crown Prosecution Service condemned the actions of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley, emphasizing their betrayal of trust in caring for Preston. The prosecutor described the case as one of the most appalling and distressing encountered in her career, expressing sympathy for those affected by the tragedy.
