Jamie Varley, 37, a former head of year at a high school, and his partner, ex-public schoolboy and sales manager John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, sexually assaulted and physically abused Preston Davey after adopting him aged nine months, before his murder following a sex assault by Varley four months later at their Blackpool home.

Varley’s sentence means he will never be released from prison, while McGowan-Fazakerley was also jailed for 25 years for allowing Preston’s death.

Both men were convicted by a jury on Monday, June 15, following an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court, following Preston’s death on April 27, 2023.

Jamie Varley will never be released from prison (Image: Lancashire Police)

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Turner said Preston had faced “unremitting abuse” and neglect before being killed by Varley during a sex attack.

Turning to Varley, he said: “It was you who did this. You murdered him.

“A whole life order is a sentence of last resort for cases of the most extreme gravity.

“This is a case of the most extreme gravity. You must stay in prison for the rest of your life. You will never be eligible for parole.”

Varley, wearing a purple V-neck T-shirt, looked gaunt and sat with his hands folded on his lap, looking straight ahead and made no reaction when his sentence was read out.

Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order by Oldham Council and placed into foster care at five days old.

Preston Davey was murdered by Jamie Varley (Image: Police)

Ms Davey was herself jailed for murdering a frail pensioner when she was a 14-year-old, and has been in and out of prison since then.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Davey described the day Preston was taken from her as one of the worst of her life.

She said: “I had no choice in that decision.

“I tried to take some comfort in believing he would be safe, loved, and protected, and he was with his foster parents, Sandra and Paul (Cooper).

“I trusted them, they and the system trusted you, that trust was completely and unforgivably broken.

“I will never forgive you for what you did to my son and what you stopped him from becoming and achieving in his life.

“Every single day, I live with the unimaginable pain of wondering what he went through. Those thoughts do not leave me.

“They are with me when I wake up, and they haunt me when I try to sleep. The reality of how he suffered is something I will carry for the rest of my life.”

In his victim impact statement, Preston’s biological father, Gary Nolan, told of his grief at hearing the news of his son’s death.

“Hysterical and crying”, Mr Nolan was admitted to hospital for his own safety and still takes medication to help manage his anxiety and depression.

He said: “Preston was my first and only son. The fact that he has been taken away from me has stopped me from having a father-son relationship.

“I was looking forward to doing the simple things with him, playing football, teaching him how to ride a bike, having him ask me for help, seeing him learn to drive and of course celebrating his birthdays.

“This has deprived my three daughters and me of ever having these opportunities.”

Mr and Mrs Cooper, Preston’s foster parents, said his murder was the reason they decided not to retire from fostering as “we felt we had a duty to other children and could not sit back and enjoy ourselves knowing that other children were being abused, mistreated and could die”.

They said they had lost trust in the system and cannot express the pain they feel at Preston’s killing.

The trial heard Preston had been taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital three times in the months before his death and was seen by a “battery of professionals” during his life, including multiple social workers, health visitors and medics, and a social services investigation is underway.

York Jobcentre is organising the jobs fair on Tuesday July 14 from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Temple Hall, York St John University.

The jobcentre says the free event offers those looking for a job, apprentice options, or a change of career, a valuable chance to engage directly with a wide range of local employers and training providers. 

Attendees will be able to speak face-to-face with recruiters, learn about current vacancies, and gain insight into the skills and qualifications employers are looking for. Professional advisors will also be available throughout the event to provide free, impartial information, advice, and guidance. 

RECOMMENDED READING:
Vacancies tumble to lowest in five years – ONS

The jobcentre is inviting employers to take part and still has exhibition space for them to take part.

Sarah Lyus, Recruitment Consultant, York Job Centre, said: “We have seen previous success with York Job Fairs in partnership with York Learning and look forward to this new venue where we can connect jobseekers with local employers, offer support for career advice and provide learning opportunities to further enhance career prospects for our Job seekers.”

Will Harris, Learning and Skills Development Manager & Digital Skills Curriculum Manager – York Learning, said: “It’s great to be working again with York Job Centre for another York Job Fair.

“At York Learning, our mission is to inspire people to learn, explore and achieve. We encourage everyone to come and visit us on the day — we’ll be happy to discuss your skills, offer employability support, and share information on the wide range of courses available and much more.”

The event comes as the latest claimant count figures for the region show and overall rise in the claimant count for 18-24s especially.

The latest claimant count figures (Image: Pic supplied)

In May, York had a claimant count of 2,535, which is a decrease of 35 or 1%. However, the number aged 18-24 was 565, an increase of 85 or 17% on a year ago.

Ryedale has a claimant count of 660, an increase of 85 or 15% on a year ago. Those aged 18-25 made up 90 of this, an increase of 25 or 38%.

However, in Selby, the claimant count for May was 1,150, an increase of ten or 1%. Those aged 18-24 made up 295 of this, a decrease of 58 or 2%.

Nationally, the overall UK unemployment rate fell unexpectedly from 5% to 4.9% in the three months to April.

How do you feel about these figures, especially how they are affecting the young? What can the government do to help? How much might it be to blame? And how do you feel about the widder economy? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Turkey’s Arda Guler has taken the most shots at the tournament so far, although the fact that his eight attempts amounted to just 0.26 xG in total shows how optimistic his shooting was against Australia.

While the Real Madrid youngster is obviously far more talented than the average player, the quality of shots he took means that historically a player would score once every 31 attempts.

South Korea’s Son Heung-min was the worst finisher in the opening round based on expected goals as he failed to score from six chances totalling 1.0 xG – a surprising fact given that the former Tottenham man was one of most ruthless finishers during his time in the Premier League.

24 players have a 100% shot conversion rate so far but only two have taken more than one shot – Sweden’s Yasin Ayari and New Zealand’s Elijah Just, who have both scored twice.

Seven players created five chances in their opening game but only Germany’s Joshua Kimmich saw his teammates take advantage as he claimed two assists in the 7-1 win against Curaçao.

An inquest has opened into the death of a man who crashed into a house earlier this year

An inquest has opened into the death of a 40-year-old man who crashed into a house in Cambridgeshire earlier this year. Richard Woollard, the driver of a blue Ford Mondeo, died after his car crashed into a house on Paston Ridings at around 6pm on May 17, 2026.

Richard died on May 23 at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, days after the crash. In a tribute, his family said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our son, Richard. He will be profoundly missed by his family and friends. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

The inquest into his death opened on Thursday, June 18, at Vantage House in Huntingdon by area coroner Caroline Jones. The hearing heard that Richard had been driving at “excess speed” when he “lost control” before crashing into the house.

Cambridgeshire Police confirmed a woman in her 70s, who was in the house at the time, also suffered serious injuries.

The deceased was formally identified as Richard at the mortuary on May 28, 2026. His provisional cause of death has been given as a hypoxic-ischemic injury caused by cardiac arrest.

The inquest has been adjourned until December 3, 2026, to be continued by senior coroner David Heming. Coroner Jones offered her condolences to the family and friends of Richard.

Wales take on the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium Twickenham next Saturday ahead of the Nations Championship.

Steve Tandy is expected to be without 15 of his squad because the game falls outside of World Rugby’s designated international window.

But even so the Wales coach should still be able to select a strong side. This is the matchday squad he is likely to select.

15. Blair Murray

Louis Rees-Zammit is unavailable for the Barbarians game so Tandy will have to look at alternative options, particularly with the Bristol man declaring he wants to remain a winger going forward.

Blair Murray was Tandy’s full-back during the autumn, although concerns surrounded his aerial ability.

Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee are other potential options but Tandy is likely to go with Murray’s attacking threat.

14. Mason Grady

The Cardiff wing is currently recovering from a fractured thumb but is expected to be fit by the time Wales face the Barbarians.

Grady is a very effective runner when put into space; his size, explosive power and space are potentially big assets to this Wales side.

JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE Latest news, analysis and much more

13. Eddie James

Many experts believe James’s best position is inside centre.

That might be the case in the long-run but Tandy might want to go for continuity this summer.

James is a very powerful ball carrier capable of making significant post-contact metres.

12. Joe Hawkins

Hawkins’ partnership with James improved as the Six Nations wore on. While Tandy could look at Bryn Bradley at some point, the Harlequins centre is unavailable against the Barbarians.

The Scarlets centre is a talented footballer with a physical presence, and his distribution is generally very good.

11. Josh Adams

The 31-year-old finished the season strongly for Cardiff and his experience will be important for Wales moving towards the Rugby World Cup.

Adams is strong both under the high-ball and in defence, while he is also a potent finisher.

10. Dan Edwards

The Ospreys outside-half finished the Six Nations with an outstanding individual performance in the victory over Italy at the Principality Stadium.

Edwards will relish the challenge the Barbarians will present and his attacking instincts should come to the fore.

9. Kieran Hardy

This is a good opportunity for the 30-year-old with Tomos Williams unavailable.

Tandy also has the option of Reuben Morgan-Williams and Ellis Bevan but based on recent selections Hardy is higher up the pecking order.

8. Aaron Wainwright

The 28-year-old was Wales’ best player during the Six Nations and elevated his game to a whole new level.

Wainwright is a dynamic ball carrier who is extremely physical and is also effective when put into space where his skillset comes to the fore.

7. Jac Morgan

Tandy will be delighted to see Morgan fit again after the 26-year-old missed the Six Nations due to dislocating his shoulder against Argentina last autumn.

Morgan is a world class player and one of the first names on Tandy’s team sheet.

His return creates intense competition for the number six shirt given how well certain players performed in his absence.

6. James Botham

Wales have some strong options at blindside flanker but Botham had a fine Six Nations campaign.

The 28-year-old has a huge engine and gets through a mountain of unseen work in defence while he also offers himself as a carrier.

5. Teddy Williams

The 25-year-old has not played since dislocating his foot against Connacht last October.

But he is expected to be fit by the time the Barbarians game comes around and this is the perfect opportunity for Tandy to give the Cardiff lock a run out.

Wales are also without Dafydd Jenkins, Freddie Thomas and potentially Adam Beard, as the Top 14 final is the same day as the Barbarians fixture.

4. Ben Carter

The Dragons lock stepped into Adam Beard’s shoes in Wales’ narrow defeat against Scotland and impressed.

Carter called the lineout during the Six Nations and is a workhorse who puts his body on the line.

It will be interesting to see how he kicks on this summer.

3. Dillon Lewis

The 30-year-old has not played for Wales since March 2024, so he will undoubtedly be chomping at the bit to represent his country again.

Lewis will arguably be Wales’ most important player this summer given the injuries at tighthead with Tomas Francis, Archie Griffin and Keiron Assiratti all unavailable.

Advertisement

2. Dewi Lake (Captain)

The Gloucester-bound hooker missed the latter part of the Ospreys’ season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but he is expected to be fit this summer.

Lake was outstanding towards the back end of the Six Nations as Wales’ lineout improved dramatically while he also carried well.

1. Gareth Thomas

With Rhys Carré and Nicky Smith unavailable the Barbarians fixture could prove a good opportunity for Thomas.

The experienced Ospreys prop was a Wales regular up until recently and will want his shirt back.

Replacements

16. Evan Lloyd

If this were a Test match Ryan Elias would be on the bench but Tandy might want to use his bench to look at certain players.

Lloyd could thrive when the game is looser in the second-half.

17. Rhys Barratt

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a fine season with Cardiff and thoroughly deserves his place in the Wales squad.

Barratt offers a huge amount around the park.

18. Ben Warren

Wales have been hit by a plethora of injuries at tighthead but this could be the uncapped Warren’s breakthrough campaign.

19. Ryan Woodman

Wales are without three front-line locks against the Barbarians so Woodman may have to cover the second-row.

The former Wales U20s captain is a fine prospect who has gone well for the Dragons this season.

20. Taine Plumtree

The Scarlets man has his critics but when at his best he can be very effective.

Plumtree would thrive in a looser game against the Barbarians.

21. Reuben Morgan-Williams

The Ospreys scrum-half has had to bide his time with Wales and will be eager to make an impact.

22. Sam Costelow

The Scarlets playmaker has not played since injuring his shoulder against Scotland.

But at his best Costelow can be very effective and his battle with Dan Edwards for the number 10 shirt can only be a good thing moving forward.

23. Ellis Mee

The Scarlets man is strong under the high ball and a decent broken field runner who can cover wing and full-back.

Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.

Ben Shephard delivered an update, which he described as ‘shocking’, during ITV’s This Morning, as he spoke openly about the death of a famous tree

This Morning host Ben Shephard shared some “sad news” on Thursday’s show.

On Thursday’s ITV show, Ben and his co-host Cat Deeley were back at the helm to deliver another jam-packed programme. During the show, the presenters spoke to resident gardener David.

This is when the death of the 1,200-year-old oak tree was mentioned. He said to David via video link: “Just before you go, because there has been some sad news here today, which is the ancient oak tree that has been linked to the Robin Hood legend, it has been featured in all sorts of films, has sadly died.

“It’s really shocking to see it looking how it is now!”

Located in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, the ancient oak was considered the oldest and largest tree in Europe. After enduring several years of unusually hot and dry summers, it failed to produce leaves this spring, signalling the end of its life.

According to local folklore, the tree once served as a hiding place for Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw who stole from the wealthy to help the poor.

It is said he sought shelter beneath its branches while evading the Sheriff of Nottingham. In 2010, snowfall on the trunk even created a striking image that many believed resembled Friar Tuck.

For more than two centuries, the Major Oak has attracted visitors eager to see the iconic tree and its connection to the Robin Hood story.

However, the constant stream of tourists has compacted the surrounding ground over time, making it harder for rainwater to reach the tree’s roots and contributing to its decline.

Although previous reports suggesting the Major Oak had died proved inaccurate, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) confirmed on Thursday that the historic tree has failed to regenerate, despite conservation efforts launched in 2023 to preserve it.

The famous oak earned its name after being featured in a 1790 publication about oak trees by Major Hayman Rooke, sparking widespread interest and drawing visitors to Sherwood Forest.

While experts cannot pinpoint a single cause of the tree’s death, a combination of factors is believed to have contributed. Heavy foot traffic from millions of visitors over the years compacted the surrounding soil, while measures taken to support its enormous branches with cables and props may also have affected its health.

Arborists examining the oak discovered that its root system had become severely deprived of both space and nutrients, leaving it weakened and unable to survive.

Robert Brackley, an outdoor educator who has proudly shown the Major oak to thousands, told The Guardian: “The stories it has given us are the legacy. It’s the most famous tree in the world.”

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.

Repeated and mindless vandalism at Norton’s toilets in Church Street is causing significant damage and disruption for residents and visitors alike

Cllr Keane Duncan has joined with North Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire Police and Norton Town Council to discuss action to prevent further damage.

“We have seen repeated and mindless vandalism at Norton’s toilets, causing significant damage and disruption for residents and visitors alike,” he said.

“I feel very strongly that we should not give in to a small minority by closing facilities that the wider community relies upon. Those responsible should face the consequences of their actions, not local people who need access to these important amenities.

“However, the vandalism is repeated and costly, which is why partners are working together to prevent further incidents.

“We discussed a range of measures including additional inspections, faster reporting, extra cameras, vandal-resistant fixtures and improvements to the surrounding area. We are also open to suggestions from the community.

“We are determined to do everything we can to protect these facilities and stop further damage occurring in the future.

Cllr Di Keal, Mayor of Norton on Derwent said: “Norton Town council believes that providing public toilets is an essential part of what a town provides for our residents and as Mayor I have spoken out again recently after the toilets were vandalised for the third time in the last few months. They are now thankfully open again.

“Our county councillor has assured us that the toilets are not under threat of closure for the time being, but the costs involved in repairs after repeated bouts of vandalism are huge, which is why we are appealing to local people to help us identify those who are determined to do this damage and deprive others of these important facilities.

“If anyone notices any suspicious behaviour around the public toilets they should report it to the police immediately on 101.

“The town council will fight to retain our toilets, which is why we have invested in CCTV to monitor the area, but I am appealing again for public support to help us. We are working with North Yorkshire Council and the police on the issue and hope that the culprits who are repeatedly ruining these facilities will be identified and prosecuted.”

England did not want to go through the play-offs but were given an unkind draw in the qualifying groups when they met world champions Spain.

It does mean, however, that Sarina Wiegman’s side are in a strong position for the play-offs and will fancy their chances with a kind trip to Greece in October.

They beat potential round two opponents Ukraine in both matches in the qualifying group stage, which will give them confidence too.

There is a tricky tie for Northern Ireland, who come up against a talented young squad from Portugal in round one. Portugal twice beat Northern Ireland in Euro 2025 qualifying.

Their task gets trickier if they make it through to round two with potential opponents Iceland proving to be difficult to break down in their matches against England this year.

Scotland are hoping to reach just their second Women’s World Cup finals having failed to qualify in 2023.

They performed well in this year’s qualifying group stages, including draws with Belgium that showed they can compete with Europe’s strongest teams.

They will need to produce their best in round two if they meet big-hitters Sweden, who have been semi-finalists in the past two Women’s World Cup finals.

Wales have never beaten a top-20 ranked nation in a competitive fixture and are likely to need to do so to qualify – and their away form needs improvement.

But Rhian Wilkinson’s side face familiar opponents in round one. They thrashed Albania 4-0 in their qualifying group so who says they can’t do it again?

Meanwhile, having performed superbly in qualifying, the Republic of Ireland have a tricky play-off route with established European opposition Belgium potentially waiting in round two.

First, Carly Ward’s side will have to navigate a 3,100-mile trip to Kazakhstan, against relatively unknown opposition.