Detective brands Blackpool baby killing teacher Jamie Varley ‘a chameleon’ who performed ‘a pantomime’

A top detective who led the murder investigation into the death of an 13-month-old baby said his killer was ‘a chameleon’ who performed ‘a pantomime’ outside Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Today 37-year-old ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining was convicted of the murder of 13-month-old Preston Davey after a 6 week trial at Preston Crown Court.

He was also found guilty of 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.

His partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, also of Chandlers Way, Grimsargh and formerly of Staining Road, Staining was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

The pair will now be sentenced on Thursday.

But the lead detective who spent three years trying to get justice for little Preston said Varley was a ‘manipulator’ who all the way along ‘tried to control the narrative’.

During the complex investigation Varley was interviewed multiple times and offered various narratives to officers' questions.

He even dramatically grew out his short dark hair into a bob and dyed it blonde.

DCI Andy Fallows said: “The body worn video capturing Jamie Varley's performance, I will call it that, outside Blackpool Victoria where he's very theatrical. That is a marked difference to the man that was later interviewed on 25 June 2025.

“There was a difference in attitude and difference in demeanour. I think you see two sides to Jamie Varley throughout viewing those interviews and that body worn video. Jamie Varley has sought to deceive right from day one.

“I think Jamie Varley has tried to control the narrative. And it's only through working through these events and piecing them together and looking at them side by side, do you really see that he is a manipulative character or he certainly had tried to be. And ultimately by adopting that approach, we've been able to show him for what he is.

“In his evidence under cross examination, you saw more of an obtuse, sparky side to him.

“He's a man that has claimed to have tried to assist the investigation and give the investigation answers in relation to what happened to Preston, but the reality is far different.

“The reality is he's concealed, he's lied. His account is or was wholly inconsistent and disbelievable.”

Asked if he believes the textile teacher, who subsequently left the Fylde coast for Grimsargh, will own up and admit what he did to Preston, DCI Fallows said only Varley can answer that.

He said: “Only Jamie Varley knows what goes on in Jamie Varley's mind.

“He's a bit like a chameleon, I think, if you watch that video outside Blackpool Victoria Hospital the night Preston was taken there and then the pantomime of how he behaved and what unfolded was hugely different to what you see on interview, final interview, and then again in the box, not only just in terms of look and appearance, but in terms of demeanour, in terms of attitude, you see two very different sides to him.”