Teacher found guilty of murder and abuse of adopted baby boy
Jamie Varley has been found guilty of 25 offences, while his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, has been found guilty of four
Last updated 4 hours ago
A teacher has been found guilty of the murder and sexual and physical abuse of a baby boy that he planned to adopt.
Warning - the following evidence contains distressing information
Preston Davey, aged 13 months, died after four months of abuse at the hands of high school head of year Jamie Varley, 37, from Blackpool.
Varley was in the process of adopting the boy with his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, in April 2023.
Both men denied a sexual interest in the child and pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them.
After an eight-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Varley has been found guilty of murder, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photo.
McGowan-Fazakerley has also been found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and the sexual assault of a child.
The court heard how baby Preston was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital on 27 July.
Varley told medical staff he left the baby in the bath for two or three minutes and came back to find him submerged.
A post-mortem examination revealed 40 external and internal trauma injuries on the child's body, consistent with "forcible penetration" and sexual abuse, dismissing drowning as the cause of death.
Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley are set to be sentenced on Thursday 18 June.
Independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review underway
A spokesperson for Oldham Council said: "The death of any child is a tragedy, but this is a particularly heart-wrenching and disturbing case.
“We are thankful that the perpetrators of the sickening murder and abuse of an innocent child have today been convicted for their crimes.
"An independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review is already underway, which will examine the handling of Preston's safeguarding.
“Our thoughts remain with Preston's family, loved ones, and the many people affected by this case.”
"One of the most shocking and horrific cases I have dealt with"
Karen Tonge, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “This has been one of the most shocking and horrific cases I have dealt with in my career.
“Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley had a responsibility to care for and protect baby Preston. They violated that responsibility and 13-month-old Preston was abused with sickening ease.
“It is difficult to comprehend how the very people who should have loved him could inflict such sickening physical and sexual harm on an innocent child.
“No child should have to go through what Preston went through in the last four months of his short life and I cannot begin to imagine the toll this has taken on those that loved Preston. My thoughts remain with them all.”
"Pure evil"
DCI Andy Fallows, from Lancashire Police said “It is not often in this job that you encounter pure evil. Anybody who has followed this trial will no doubt understand why I place Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley in that category.
“Almost from day one, they set about abusing Preston and making his short life a harrowing tale of misery and pain. It was this abuse that ultimately led to Preston’s death.
“For the first nine months of his life Preston was a happy and healthy child but by the end he was a broken shell. This was due to the sordid and wicked acts of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley."