'I felt like they were hiding him' - Foster mum tells court teacher Jamie Varley made it hard to see Preston

The foster mother of tragic toddler Preston Davey described him as being a "beautiful, loveable baby" who was "just living a really nice life" before a Blackpool teacher was accused of his murder.

Jamie Varley, 37, a former teacher at South Shore Academy is accused of murdering 13-month-old Preston Davey, who died in Blackpool Victoria hospital on July 27, 2023.

His partner and co-accused John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of causing and allowing the death of a child; two counts of cruelty to a person under 16 and sexual assault of a male child under 13.

The pair, both of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining are standing trial at Preston Crown Court.

The toddler is said to have suffered 40 injuries including a blockage of his upper airway while in their care. He had bruising inside his mouth, had suffered severe internal injuries and was suffocated to death.

Varley 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 denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

Visibly upset and crying on the stand, Sandra Cooper, who has fostered children for 27 years and for whom baby Preston was her 43rd foster child described the tot as being an engaging, happy and content baby.

She said: "He was just beautiful. He was happy, he laughed. He smiled really early. He was a really loveable baby. He loved cuddles. He had good eye contact - he was just living a really nice life."

Mrs Cooper said on February 22, 2023 an adoption medical took place and it was found Preston, who was put in her care aged five days old, was "A perfectly fit, happy and healthy baby with no issues."

She said: "He was coo-ing at the doctor. He was a baby who took part. He would be entertaining you and smiling at you - that is who he was."

The court heard how on February 13, 2023 Sandra Cooper had met up with then prospective adoptive parents Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley at Ash Tree Farm in Ashton-Under-Lyne for a first introduction.

Mrs Cooper described the meeting as being very friendly and "a really nice time" - one of the best initial meetings she had ever had with adoptive parents."

The court heard how Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley continued to spend supervised time with Preston along with participating in phone calls and group whatsapps, including one entitled 'Team Preston," which also included two social workers - building a seemingly happy, new connection with the child.

However, after the official handover on April 3, 2023 Mrs Cooper told Prosecutor Peter Wright KC that her attempts to arrange visits were often not successful with Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley giving different reasons why it was not possible to meet.

She said: "I felt like they were hiding him from me," adding: "We were struggling to make arrangements with them. When we kept getting different reasons, I started to get worried."

After Mrs Cooper contacted a social worker and expressed her concerns, a meeting was set up on April 29 at Barton Grange.

She said: "I would have walked to the ends of the earth to get that visit. I was really worried."

However Mrs Cooper said Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley asked for the meeting to be at 6.30am, saying she had to get other babies in her care out of their beds.

She said: "It was as if they didn't want us to come, they made it really difficult."

Asked how Preston seemed at the meeting, Mrs Cooper said: "He looked a bit stiff and a bit lank but we hadn't seen him for a long time, so we just put it down to that that just happens sometimes."

Mrs Cooper described how the meeting lasted an hour or two and they all had breakfast together.

She said: "After that meeting we never saw Preston again."

The trial continues.