Teacher and Partner on Trial for Baby's Murder

A former teacher and his partner are standing trial accused of murdering a 13-month-old boy they were in the process of adopting. The case centers around disturbing text messages revealing alleged comments made by the teacher about the child, Preston Davey.

Disturbing Text Messages Revealed

'Dead Meat' and Dark Jokes

Jamie Varley, 37, exchanged chilling text messages with friends and family just days after Preston Davey, then nine months old, was placed in his care. In one text to his sister, Varley wrote, “He’s dead meat. He didn’t sleep last night after 11.30pm. Up every 1.5 hours.”

Days later, he sent a video of Preston to his mother, who replied, “Clever boyxxx.” Varley responded with a dark joke: “This was before he was murdered and put to bed.”

Struggles with Care

Varley and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, had successfully applied to adopt Preston, who was removed from his biological mother shortly after birth. The infant tragically died on July 27, 2023, after only four months in their care.

Following Preston’s first night at their home in Blackpool, Lancashire, Varley messaged a friend, stating, “After an hour of him refusing his milk and dummy, I wanted to put him in the field with the cows, but he’s woken up a ray of sunshine and is as beautiful as ever.”

Evidence of Abuse and Neglect

40 Injuries Found

Prosecutors allege Preston suffered 40 injuries and was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused, and physically assaulted during his time with the couple. The defendants had passed vetting procedures before Preston was formally placed with them on April 3, 2023.

Varley described the baby as “annoying,” “whiny,” and constantly crying in text messages. He wrote, “Love him to bits, but he’s killing us. He cries when you pick him up…if we leave the room, he screams.”

Relationship Tension and Hospital Visits

The court also heard about tension between Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley shortly after Preston arrived. McGowan-Fazakerley told Varley, “I can’t keep trying anymore…you’re breaking my heart.”

Preston was taken to the hospital three times before his death, including once with a fractured arm, but doctors did not raise safeguarding concerns.

The Night of Preston's Death

On July 27, 2023, McGowan-Fazakerley found Varley attempting to resuscitate Preston, who was in cardiac arrest. Despite being rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, the infant could not be saved. A post-mortem revealed 40 injuries, including severe bruising to the throat.

The pathologist concluded Preston died from an “acute upper airway obstruction” and had been smothered. Varley claimed Preston drowned during a bath, but the prosecution disputes this account, alleging sexual assaults led to the baby’s death.

Charges and Denials

Varley denies murder, sexual assault, assault by penetration, inflicting grievous bodily harm, four counts of child cruelty, 14 counts of making and taking indecent images of a child, and one charge of distributing an indecent image. McGowan-Fazakerley denies causing or allowing the death of a child and two counts of child cruelty.