Jamie Varley, a former textiles teacher, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley are currently standing trial for the murder and sexual abuse of 12-month-old Preston Davey. The infant died in July 2023 after suffering dozens of internal and external injuries, according to evidence presented at Preston Crown Court.

The 'You'll think we're abusing him' warning at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

During the trial, agency nurse Nikki Wilson testified that she became suspicious of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley during a visit to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. While treating Preston Davey for a fever, Ms. Wilson noticed a bruise on the infant's forehead. According to the report, one of the men responded to the observation by stating, “You will think we’re abusing him.”

The nurse's unease grew when the couple attempted to explain the injury using a mobile phone video. The clip showed Preston Davey being struck by a toppling toy activity station, but Ms. Wilson noted that the lack of immediate intervention in the video felt unnatural. She later discussed her concerns with a colleague, though the report indicates that no formal safeguarding report was filed at that time.

Dr. Alison Armour's finding of 40 injuries and a unique throat bruise

Forensic pathologist Dr. alison Armour provided devastating testimony regarding the physical state of Preston Davey. Dr. armour revealed that the child had suffered 40 internal and external injuries prior to his death. Most notably, she described an “extensive” and “most unusual” bruise on the back wall of the infant's throat, a condition she claimed she had never encountered in her 39-year career.

The cause of death was determined to be an acute obstruction of the upper airway , likely caused by a hand, a soft object like a pillow, or an object inserted into the mouth... As reported in the court proceedings, Dr. Armour explicitly dismissed the defense's suggestion that Preston Davey died from inhaling vomit following a seizure, noting that even the defense's own pathologist did not dispute the finding of airway obstruction.

The 23-second video used to mask an 18-day-old injury

The prosecution highlighted a calculaed attempt by Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley to deceive medical staff. The 23-second video of the toy falling, which the couple used to explain away a bruise, was actually filmed on June 12—18 days before the hospital visit in question. This discrepancy suggests a deliberate effort to provide a false narrative for the child's injuries.

This pattern of deception appears to have been a recurring theme. The jury heard that Preston Davey had been taken to A&E three times in three months. During these visits, which included a trip to treat a fractured elbow in the infant's left arm, the couple consistently provided explanations that satisfied medical staff, preventing any safeguarding alerts from being triggered.

How 'robust' vetting failed to flag three A&E visits in three months

Preston Davey was formally placed in the care of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley on April 3, 2023, after the couple passed what were described as “robust” vetting procedures. However, the subsequent timeline suggests a rapid descent into violence. The fact that a child could suffer a fractured elbow and multiple other injuries without triggering a social services intervention raises critical questions about the communication between NHS hospitals and adoption agencies.

Several key details remain unverified or missing from the current testimony. It is unclear why the nurse's "uneasy" feeling and the couple's admission that the nurse might "think we're abusing him" did not result in an immediate mandatory report. Furthermore, the court has yet to clarify the specific nature of the 25 charges against Jamie Varley beyond the murder and sexual abuse allegations, nor has it detailed the specific role John McGowan-Fazakerley played in the daily care of the child during the 12-month leave Varley took from his teaching post.