Jamie Varley, the former high school teacher convicted of murdering his adopted baby after a horrific campaign of abuse, was forced to appear in court once again after a rare legal mistake was discovered in his sentencing. The brief hearing, which lasted only around two minutes, took place while Varley remained behind bars at HMP Wakefield, one of the UK’s most secure prisons housing some of the country’s most notorious offenders. Although the additional hearing did not change his punishment in any meaningful way, it exposed a shocking detail about a sentencing error that had previously gone unnoticed.

Varley, 37, had already been handed a whole life order after being found guilty of murdering 13-month-old Preston Davey. The sentence means he will spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of release. The judge described the crimes as among the most disturbing cases to come before the court, after jurors heard evidence of prolonged physical and sexual abuse inflicted on the vulnerable child before his death.

However, during the original sentencing process, one legal issue was overlooked. Despite Varley being convicted of murder and 24 additional offences, including multiple counts linked to the abuse of Preston, one charge of sexual assault had not been formally sentenced. The mistake created a legal loophole that required the court to return briefly to the matter and officially correct the record.

The unusual hearing was carried out under the “slip rule,” a legal procedure that allows judges to correct accidental mistakes or omissions in sentencing without reopening the entire case. Varley appeared through a video link from HMP Wakefield, wearing a striped jumper as he sat at a desk inside the prison. His hands were clasped in front of his face, and he spoke only to confirm his identity during the short proceeding.

Mr Justice Turner, who had previously overseen the trial and delivered Varley’s original sentence, also appeared by video link alongside lawyers involved in the case. The judge formally imposed an additional seven-year prison sentence for the missed count of sexual assault against the child. The sentence was ordered to run concurrently with the punishments already imposed.

Despite the correction, the decision had no practical impact on Varley’s future. His whole life sentence remains unchanged, meaning he will never leave prison. The additional seven-year term simply corrected the legal record and ensured that every offence for which he was convicted had received a formal sentence.

The court appearance brought renewed attention to the disturbing details of the case. Varley had been convicted of murdering Preston after the child was subjected to what prosecutors described as “unremitting abuse.” The court heard that Preston had been adopted by Varley and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, when he was nine months old. Just four months later, the child was dead inside their home in Blackpool in July 2023.

Prosecutors argued that Preston had been treated as a “plaything” rather than a child, suffering repeated physical and sexual abuse during the short period he was in their care. The evidence presented during the eight-week trial revealed a pattern of cruelty that shocked investigators and the public.

McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, who was also involved in the abuse, appeared at the same hearing via video link from HMP Preston. He had previously been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of allowing Varley’s actions and participating in the abuse. Unlike Varley, his sentence does provide the possibility of eventual release after serving the required period.

Detectives involved in the investigation described the crimes as among the most shocking they had encountered. Varley was branded “evil” and a “sadist” by authorities due to the extreme nature of the offences committed against a child who was completely dependent on him for care and protection.

The additional hearing highlighted how even in cases involving the most serious crimes, small legal errors can still occur during complicated court proceedings. While the two-minute appearance did not alter the outcome for Varley, it ensured that the justice process was completed correctly by formally addressing the overlooked offence.

For the victims’ family and those affected by Preston’s death, the correction served as another official acknowledgment of the full scale of the crimes committed against the child. Varley’s original whole life sentence remains one of the strongest punishments available under UK law, reflecting the severity of the murder and abuse that led to his conviction.