Teacher guilty of abusing and murdering adopted baby boy

A man who worked as a teacher has been found guilty of sexually abusing and causing the death of a 13-month-old boy he adopted with his partner. Jamie Varley, aged 37, from Blackpool, was convicted at Preston Crown Court in connection with the death of Preston Davey, who passed away in July 2023. Varley had taken a year off from his job to adopt Preston with his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32. Initially, Varley claimed that the infant drowned accidentally in a bath, but a post-mortem examination revealed that the child had sustained 40 separate injuries.

Preston was taken into care shortly after birth and spent his earliest months with foster parents before being adopted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in April 2023. During the approximately four months following his adoption, Preston endured severe sexual abuse and ill-treatment. The court heard that alongside physical harm, indecent images and videos of Preston were also taken. McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty not only of sexual assault and cruel treatment of the child but also of allowing Preston’s death. Both men are due to be sentenced shortly.

Medical professionals and social workers had concerns about Preston’s welfare prior to his death. He had been taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital three times with suspicious bruises, yet explanations provided by the caregivers masked the seriousness of his condition. On the final occasion when Preston was rushed to the hospital, he was found unresponsive. Despite Varley’s statements that Preston drowned in the bath, evidence showed his hair was dry, he wore a nappy, and no water had been inhaled. The post-mortem concluded the cause of death was an acute obstruction of the upper airways caused by objects inserted into the child’s mouth.

The reactions in court were deeply emotional. Varley collapsed and vomited when the guilty verdicts were announced, while McGowan-Fazakerley remained impassive. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows described the two men as “pure evil,” emphasizing the extent of the abuse Preston suffered in his short life. Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Karen Tonge called the case one of the most shocking and horrific she had encountered in her career. Statements from Oldham Council and regional adoption agencies emphasized the profound tragedy of Preston’s death and confirmed that independent reviews are ongoing to examine safeguarding procedures in this case

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More