'I strangled him' - Blackpool teacher Jamie Varley accused of murder of baby Preston Davey made sick joke

A teacher accused of murdering a baby he was in the process of adopting told his partner: “Your son’s in hospital. I strangled him”, a court heard.

Former South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, 37, a minute later sent a second text to his boyfriend, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, saying: “Jokes. Just give me a call when done.”

13-month-old Preston Davey had placed with the defendants at their home in the Staining area of Blackpool in April 2023, Preston Crown Court heard.

Varley is accused of the murder of the child and McGowan-Fazakerley of allowing the death of the child, with both accused of sexual abuse, the trial, now in its second week, has heard.

The text messages were sent on July 10, just four days after Preston had been admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for a third time, after earlier visits in May and June.

On the morning of July 6 2023, Varley took Preston to hospital with an injury to his elbow.

He told hospital staff he was lowering the baby into his cot the night before when the child jumped or kicked his feet and he heard a pop or click in his left elbow.

An X-ray confirmed a small fracture and his arm was put in a cast.

Later the child’s social worker, Amy Shepherdson, who had been in contact with the hospital, texted Varley to say: “Just to reassure you they said they had absolutely no concerns.

“U absolutely did the right thing.”

Ms Shepherdson visited their home later that day, noting that Preston looked pale and was not himself, adding: “He tried to smile several times but then this changed to a very sad face and a little cry.”

Jurors were also shown a text exchange between Varley and his friend, Tanya Tingle, telling her: “We did it we think…not on purpose but caught him when falling.”

A day later the family had a home visit from Helen Magee, an independent reviewer from Oldham social services.

In her report of the visit, apparently addressed to the baby, she wrote: “You were happy there with both your daddies. And this made me ponder a little as to whether there was a problem that I couldn’t see. I decided there wasn’t an issue…”

Dr Alberto Elbo, an orthopaedic surgeon, treated Preston at the fracture clinic the following week, when Varley brought him in.

Jurors were shown notes from the meeting he had dictated which said he was told the injury to the arm was from Preston being placed and strapped in a car seat and nothing to do with a cot.

Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, asked Dr Elbo about this explanation involving a car seat.

Dr Elbo said: “That’s what dad told me. What I understood from that day was he was being strapped in his car seat. That’s all I had in my mind when I dictated that letter.”

Nick Johnson KC, defending Varley suggested to the witness he had been told the injury came about due to a “cot” not a “car”.

“I don’t think so,” Dr Elbo replied.

Preston was born on June 16 2022, immediately taken into care by Oldham Council, and placed with foster parents at five days old.

After undergoing an assessment and familiarisation process in early 2023 he was placed for adoption and began living with the defendants on April 1 at their home in Staining Road, Staining.

Varley took a year off work as head of year and as a design and technology teacher at South Shore Academy, to look after the child, but struggled as a new parent with a baby who frequently woke during the night and with his partner working long hours, the court heard.

During the four months the baby was under their care he was allegedly routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, was sexually abused and physically assaulted.

On July 27 2023 Preston was again brought in to Blackpool Victoria Hospital by the defendants, unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest, and medics could not revive him.

Varley told police the child accidentally drowned in a bath, but this was inconsistent with the post-mortem examination which discovered the child had suffered 40 traumatic injuries, the court heard.

Varley, of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining denies murder, manslaughter, 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, also of of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday next week.