John McGowan-Fazakerley was a man who has 'seen no evil and heard no evil' in death of Blackpool baby
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, who ran the murder investigation into the death of Preston Davey, described John McGowan-Fazakerley as “a man who has seen no evil and heard no evil.”
“It is hard to understand how anyone could live in that household, with that many injuries to a child of that age, and not know that something very, very sinister is going on” - these were the comments of a top detective reflecting on the role of a Blackpool man in the death of a baby he was trying to adopt.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, who ran the murder investigation into the death of Preston Davey, described John McGowan-Fazakerley as “a man who has seen no evil and heard no evil.”
Today financial salesman McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, 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.
His partner 37-year-old ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley was convicted of the murder of 13-month-old Preston Davey after a six 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.
The prosecution proved McGowan-Fazakerley must have known what was happening to innocent little Preston behind the door of their home in Staining Road, Staining in 2023.
DCI Fallows said: “McGowan-Fazakerley is a man who, if you like, has seen no evil and heard no evil.
“He denies any wrongdoing.
“He did not want to believe some of the evidence that was presented to him.
“He presented and has presented as a man who works away a long time and wasn't aware of the number of bruises to Preston.
“Frequently over the days, weeks, and four months that he was in their care, he says he was unaware of how these bruises were caused.
“It is hard to understand how anyone could live in that household, with that many injuries to a child of that age, who is immobile, he's not yet walking, not to know that something very, very sinister is going on.”
DCI Fallows said the couple claimed to live the “perfect Instagram ready life” but he said the evidence proved it was entirely different.
He said: “They've tried to present, I use the word, try to present, as the perfect family, living in the perfect home, having the perfect lives, Instagram ready.
“Everything's on social media, everything is brilliant. And I think if you scrape away the veneer, you come to something that is entirely different.
“Everything wasn't good within the household.
“There were clearly arguments, bickering and clearly issues about long hours at work and Jamie struggling as a parent, as any new parent does, but it went further than that.
“The picture they tried to present to the outside world was one of respectability but the truth is far more sinister and darker than that.”
DCI Fallows said during the investigation no evidence was uncovered that the couple had planned to abuse Preston before they began the adoption process.
He said: “I think anybody that follows the evidence will ultimately come to the wrong conclusion, but. I suppose as an investigator, I've just got to talk about the evidence and I suppose you, you've asked me the question, do I think that they've sourced a baby in order to sexually abuse and murder?
“That hasn't been our case because we haven't found any evidence of that.
“People will ultimately draw their own conclusions from hearing the evidence.
“The evidence is that prior to the adoption process, they were both men of good character and we've recovered nothing to suggest that this was a plan to source a young child.
“Albeit given what we know about the psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse during that four month period.
“It'll be, I suppose, for other people to make their minds up.
“The truth is there's only two people that will ever truly know that and that is Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley.”
DCI Fallows said he has seen no remorse from the couple.
He said: “I don't see any evidence of regret, remorse or actually sorrow for Preston Davey.
“And I think any tears have been around Jamie Varley, (are for himself) an arrogant self-centred liar.”
The pair will now be sentenced on Thursday.