Jamie Varley has told a jury he never harmed or sexually abused his adopted son, as he gave evidence from the witness box with his voice cracking with emotion. The former design and technology teacher from Blackpool is accused of murdering 13-month-old Preston Davey in July 2023.
Asked by his barrister, Nick Johnson KC, whether he killed the child by deliberately blocking his airway, Varley replied: “No, I did not.” When asked directly, “Did you sexually assault that child in any way? Did you ever wilfully harm Preston physically or psychologically?” Varley answered: “Absolutely not, our son has never been sexually abused. No.”
Both Varley and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, deny all charges. The prosecution alleges that during the four months Preston lived with the couple after being adopted in April 2023, he was routinely sexually, physically and emotionally abused. A post-mortem examination conducted by Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour found approximately 40 traumatic injuries, including 30 external bruises, a fractured upper left arm, and internal bruising to his throat, bottom and bladder. Dr Armour ruled out drowning and concluded the cause of death was acute upper airway obstruction, likely from smothering or an object inserted into the child’s mouth.
Dr Joanne Gifford, a consultant paediatrician and expert in child sexual abuse, told the court the injuries were clinical signs of sexual abuse that occurred on more than one occasion. She also noted three previous hospital visits for breathing difficulties as “life-threatening emergencies” before Preston’s death.
Defendant’s explanation for ‘unsafe’ cot images
A series of photographs on Varley’s phone taken four days before Preston’s death received particular scrutiny during his testimony. The images, spanning three minutes and 12 seconds, show the child in his cot with his head and arms over the top horizontal bar and his neck resting on it. His body appears partially suspended, his legs in a “frog like” position and the child seemingly asleep or unconscious. The court heard the position was described as “very unsafe” and “dangerous”.
Varley said the baby had fallen asleep before in “funny positions” and had done so again, prompting him to “snap away” with his phone. Mr Johnson asked: “Were these trophies of a sexual encounter?” Varley replied: “No they were not, no.” He added: “I did not even recognise at the moment, it was inappropriate. I’m disappointed. I feel shamed. I feel really ashamed. I did not mean to cause any distress, any harm in that moment, I felt he was safe. I just wanted to capture him, all of his life. I just wanted to capture every part of his life.”
Earlier, the jury heard that Varley told his sister in a text message after a sleepless night that the baby was “dead meat”. He explained: “It was just language that I use. In social settings I’m dramatic. Sassy. I just easily throw words about.”
Prosecution case and further defence claims
The prosecution alleges that indecent images and videos were taken of Preston, and that he was subjected to sexual assault and physical assault. A photograph taken on June 12, 2023, shows a dark circular mark on the child’s bottom which Dr Armour identified as a human bite mark. Varley was asked directly about this and replied: “Absolutely not. Could not be more wrong.”
Varley also denied deliberately bruising the child after a “cluster” of bruises was found on Preston’s forehead, which Dr Gifford had described as a “red flag” for abuse. Varley said the baby, who was learning to crawl, would often bang his head and have daily mishaps.
On the day of Preston’s death, July 27, 2023, Varley told police he had briefly left the child in the bath and returned to find him off his bath seat and submerged. However, the post-mortem ruled out drowning. Videos from Varley’s phone allegedly show Preston alone in a bath for 14 minutes.
Varley, who said he has severe dyslexia, became a head of year at a local high school before meeting his partner. He told the jury he always wanted children and that adopting Preston was “special” – that his love for the baby exceeded that for his dog. He said the “early stages” of adoption were an “eye opener” and that Preston was not a good sleeper, adding: “I felt because I had more experience than John, I felt it was going to be a breeze, but it wasn’t.”
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, 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.
The trial continues on Friday.
