A secondary school teacher and his partner have gone on trial accused of the murder and systematic abuse of a 13-month-old boy they were in the process of adopting. Jamie Varley, 37, and John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, from Blackpool, are alleged to have subjected Preston Davey to routine ill-treatment, sexual abuse, and physical assault before his death in August 2023.
Preston was placed with the couple in April 2023, aged nine months. Four months later, he was taken to hospital in cardiac arrest and died. A post-mortem found the cause of death to be acute upper airways obstruction, likely from smothering or insertion of an object into his mouth. The prosecution alleges Varley murdered the baby.
Prosecutor Peter Wright KC told Preston Crown Court that the couple appeared to be in a stable, loving relationship but were 'wholly unsuited to the role of adoptive parents.' He said evidence would show that Preston was 'routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted' in the final months of his life.
The court heard that Varley took numerous images and videos of the abuse. One video showed the baby unattended in a bath for 14 minutes while Varley recorded without intervening. At the time of his death, Preston had about 40 traumatic injuries, including 30 external bruises consistent with slapping and gripping of his head.
Varley denies murder, manslaughter, and 24 other charges including sexual assault, assault by penetration, child cruelty, and taking indecent images. McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty, and one count of sexual assault. The trial continues.
