Jury in Blackpool Preston Davey baby murder trial at Preston Crown Court retire to consider a verdict

The jury in the case of a Blackpool teacher accused of murdering a 13-month-old baby he was trying to adopt have retired to consider a verdict.

The 10-strong jury sitting at Preston Crown Court have heard the cases for both the prosecution cand defence in the trial of ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, 37, and his partner John McGowan-Fazackerley, 32.

Textiles teacher, 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, 32, 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 surrounds the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey. The baby had been placed with the couple at their home in Staining Road, Staining after the pair had been matched with the tot for adoption in April 2023.

But after less than four months in their care and after several hospital visits, little Preston was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital on July 27, 2023 in cardiac arrest.

Medics worked on the youngster for more than an hour but were unable to save him.

The court heard Varley told medical staff he had left the child in the bath for two or three minutes and returned to find him submerged.

But prosecutors allege this was a cover story to explain his sudden death after a sexual assault.

A post-mortem examination found 40 external and internal trauma injuries to the child’s body, consistent with “forcible penetration” and sexual abuse, and ruled out drowning as a cause of death.

Preston’s cause of death was given as acute airway obstruction by an object or object placed in his mouth.

The defence barrister for Varley claimed he would have had to be a sophisticated criminal “mastermind” to have hid the physical and sexual abuse of the child, who was being seen by health and social workers whose job it was to spot red flags and who raised a “no hint” of concern.

McGowan-Fazackerley told the jury he never saw anyone harm the child and he trusted his co-accused.

The jury is now down to 10, after two jurors were discharged for medical and family-related reasons.

The jury has finished deliberations for today and will continue on Friday.