Home / Crime and Justice / Teacher Denies Abusing Adopted Baby, Court Hears
Teacher Denies Abusing Adopted Baby, Court Hears
9 May
Summary
- Teacher claims he doesn't recall Snapchat video of son struggling.
- Adopted child died in hospital, parents face abuse charges.
- Defendant denies murder and multiple child cruelty charges.
Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old teacher, is on trial at Preston Crown Court, accused of murdering his adopted 13-month-old son, Preston Davey, who died in July 2023. Varley denies murder, manslaughter, and multiple charges of child cruelty and sexual abuse. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, faces charges of allowing the child's death and sexual abuse, which he also denies.
During police interrogation, Varley stated he did not believe his adopted son had as many bruises as suggested by detectives and insisted the child had not been abused. He also claimed he could not recall taking a distressing Snapchat video of Preston struggling to breathe approximately two hours before the child was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Varley suggested he believed the child was having a seizure at the time.
Prosecutors allege that Preston was routinely ill-treated and sexually abused during the four months he was under the couple's care. They claim the child was consciously rushed to the hospital by the defendants after an alleged final sexual assault by Varley. Medical examination indicated Preston did not drown, and no water was found in his lungs, further complicating the cause of death.
