As the guilty verdicts were read out at Preston Crown Court today, the teacher who sexually abused and murdered his adopted baby son fell to the floor.
Courtroom Scene
Jamie Varley, 37, a former head of year and textiles teacher at Blackpool’s South Shore Academy, held his hand over his mouth, retching as one by one the charges of murder, cruelty, GBH and sexual abuse came back as guilty.
Standing beside him in the dock at Preston Crown Court, his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, stared straight ahead as he too was convicted of every count against him. Once the jury had left the court room, he straightened the cuffs of his jacket and walked expressionless from the dock.
Emotional Reactions
As the jury returned to the courtroom after almost two days of deliberations, trial judge Mr Justice Turner asked for dignity in the emotionally charged courtroom. However, Preston’s birth mother Sarah Davey was unable to contain her emotion and sobbed loudly as the jury foreman delivered guilty after guilty verdict. She was comforted by her mother, Debra Davey, who sat alongside her in the public gallery.
Outside court, Debra, 66, said: “I’m just relieved it's all over.”
The parents of both defendants also attended court for the verdicts. Varley’s mum cried from where she was seated and McGowan-Fazakerley’s parents, who have attended every day of the trial, looked shellshocked.
Trial Details
Throughout the six and a half week trial, the jury heard how Preston was placed in the care of the men after being removed from his birth mother at five days old. After nine happy months in foster care he was sent to live with the depraved paedophiles at their home in Staining Road, Blackpool. Over a four month period, Preston’s life deteriorated as he was subjected to horrific physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Four days before he died, both men subjected the innocent tot to a horrific sexual assault before trophy photos were taken showing what they had done. These, and other photos taken from Varley’s phone, served as key evidence in convicting the pair - and securing justice for little baby Preston.
