A former secondary school teacher allegedly sexually assaulted and smothered a 13-month-old baby boy he was in the process of adopting, then filmed the child as he lay dying, a jury has been told.
Preston Davey, just 13 months old, died after being described in court as having been ill-treated, sexually abused, and physically assaulted, suffering approximately 40 traumatic injuries. The case, which opened at Preston Crown Court on 20 April 2026, has provoked widespread public outrage.
Jamie Varley, 37, is accused of killing Preston, along with multiple other charges, including sexual assault of a child and grievous bodily harm. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of causing or allowing the death of the child and four other offences. Both men, who were in the process of adopting the baby boy, deny all charges.
A 'Perfectly Healthy Boy' Before the Abuse
Preston had been born on 16 June 2022 and, aged nine months in April 2023, was placed with the defendants at their home on Staining Road, Blackpool, as part of an adoption process. He had been placed into care by Oldham Council six days after his birth. Following a period in foster care, a court order allowed his adoption process to begin.
Prosecutor Peter Wright KC told the jury that before his placement with the two men, Preston had been in good health. His short life had 'more than its share of misfortune', but Preston had been 'a perfectly healthy boy' before the defendants began the adoption process.
That changed rapidly. He was admitted to hospital with injuries three times in just under four months after he began living with the defendants, before his death on 27 July 2023. At about 6.30 pm that day, he was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department of Blackpool Victoria Hospital by the defendants, unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest. Lancashire Police were called to the hospital at around 7:15 pm, and Preston was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
'Routinely Ill-Treated, Sexually Abused and Physically Assaulted'
Addressing the jury of six women and six men, Wright KC set out the prosecution's case in stark terms.
'We say the evidence demonstrates that he was murdered by one of the people entrusted with his well-being; one of his proposed adoptive parents. We say the person responsible for killing Preston Davey was the defendant, Jamie Varley. But that was not the only tragedy to befall him when in the care of these defendants. In the final months of his brief life, we say he was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted,' he told the court.
Preston suffered roughly 40 injuries across the four months in the defendants' care, including 30 external bruises, a fracture to his upper left arm, and internal bruising to his mouth, throat, and other parts of his body.
On the day Preston died, Varley had allegedly sexually assaulted the baby, causing internal injuries, while home alone with him. After Varley's arrest and mobile phone was seized, and footage was found that he had recorded earlier that day, showing the little boy lying on a bed with obvious signs of respiratory arrest. The defendant did not attempt to seek medical help. It was only later that both defendants took Preston to the hospital, by which time it was too late to save him.
The prosecution warned jurors to 'steel themselves' as images were shown in court. Varley had taken a number of images and videos of the abuse — these were not 'happy snaps of family life' but indecent images, the jury was told.
Teacher at Blackpool Secondary School
Varley worked as a teacher at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, Lancashire, before his arrest. He was head of year, overseeing pupils in Years 9, 10, and 11. Following his arrest, he was immediately suspended while police investigated.
Matt McIver, Chief Operating Officer of the Cidari Multi Academy Trust, which now runs South Shore Academy, said: 'Firstly, our thoughts are with the family of Preston Davey and all those affected by this case.
'At the time of his arrest in 2023, Mr Varley was employed at South Shore Academy by Bright Futures Education Trust. He was immediately suspended whilst the police investigation continued.
'On 1st October, South Shore Academy transferred to Cidari Multi Academy Trust; since then, he has remained suspended. During this time, he has not been permitted onto, or attended school premises, or been permitted to contact pupils or colleagues.'
Charges and Trial
Varley faces a total of 33 charges, described as one of the most serious child death prosecutions in recent English legal history.
The charges include murder and manslaughter as alternative counts, two counts of assault by penetration of a child, five counts of child cruelty, one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm, one count of sexual assault of a child, ten counts of taking indecent photographs of a child, one count of distributing indecent photographs of a child, two counts of possessing indecent pseudo-images, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty, and one count of sexual assault of a child.
The trial before Judge Robert Altham is estimated to last between six and eight weeks. If convicted on the most serious count of murder, Varley would face a mandatory life sentence.
