{"id":63,"date":"2026-04-28T17:36:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T17:36:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/teacher-who-sexually-assaulted-and-murdered-baby-described-him-as-dead-meat\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T17:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T17:36:37","slug":"teacher-who-sexually-assaulted-and-murdered-baby-described-him-as-dead-meat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/teacher-who-sexually-assaulted-and-murdered-baby-described-him-as-dead-meat\/","title":{"rendered":"Teacher who &#8216;sexually assaulted and murdered&#8217; baby described him as &#8216;dead meat&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_4f8be1\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Jamie Varley, 37, and partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, adopted 13-month-old Preston before he was allegedly ill-treated, had indecent images taken of him, sexually abused and physically assaulted<\/h2>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\"><\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37047894\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Preston Davey\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2_unnamed-2.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Preston Davey died in hospital having suffered a collapse and cardiac arrest\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Preston Davey died in hospital having suffered a collapse and cardiac arrest<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A former teacher accused of sexually abusing and killing an adopted baby joked the child was \u201cdead meat\u201d, a court heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Jamie Varley, 37, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, adopted 13-month-old Preston Davey in April 2023, Preston Crown Court heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The baby was allegedly ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, sexually abused and physically assaulted at the defendants\u2019 home in Blackpool, suffering 40 traumatic injuries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He died in hospital on July 27 2023, having suffered a collapse and cardiac arrest allegedly following a sexual assault by Varley. Varley denies murder and his co-accused denies allowing the death of a child as well as multiple other offences.<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37049964\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37049964\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.55\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Varley\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/5_Jamie-Varleyjpeg.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Varley took a year off work as head of year at a high school to adopt a child\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Varley took a year off work as head of year at a high school to adopt a child<cite aria-label=\"Image: X\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: X)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">After undergoing an assessment and familiarisation process Preston was adopted and began living with the defendants on April 1 2023. But just days later Varley, who took a year off work as head of year at a high school to adopt a child, confessed he was struggling with a lack of sleep due to the baby constantly waking in the night, a jury heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">On April 6, he texted his sister, a baby sleep trainer: \u201cHe\u2019s dead meat today. Didn\u2019t sleep last night after 11.30. Up every, one and a half hours.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Four days later, Varley sent his mother Karen Graham, a video of Preston in his walker, and she replied: \u201cClever boy xxx.\u201d Varley then replied: \u201cThis was before he was murdered and put to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37049963\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37049963\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.06\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/5_John-McGowan-Fazackerleyjpeg.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child<cite aria-label=\"Image: X\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: X)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He texted his friend: \u201cFirst sleep over. I wanted to put him in the field with the cows,\u201d but went on to describe Preston as a \u201cray of sunshine\u201d. Varley said the child was \u201crefusing\u201d to go to sleep, is \u201cvery needy\u201d and texted another friend: \u201cHe\u2019s just annoying. Lol.\u201d He went on to tell the friend: \u201cRight now we are questioning every choice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In other messages Varley said Preston was \u201ccrying all the time\u201d, and that they were \u201creally struggling\u201d as the lack of sleep was a \u201cnightmare\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Foster parent Sandra Cooper looked after Preston for 10 months after his birth in June 2022, when he was taken into care by Oldham Council, aged just five days. Mrs Cooper, in a statement read to the jury, said: \u201cPreston was a very happy baby.\u201d<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37044596\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37044596\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Preston was declared dead on July 27, 2023, after he was found unresponsive\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2_Screenshot-2025-06-13-at-103504.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Preston was declared dead on July 27, 2023\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Preston was declared dead on July 27, 2023<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She said while he was \u201cnot a good sleeper\u201d he quickly went back to sleep by having his head stroked. Mrs Cooper said after Preston\u2019s dairy intolerance was identified and his milk changed, the child was \u201chappy and content\u201d, adding: \u201cPreston was a perfectly healthy baby.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mrs Cooper handed Preston over to the defendants at the end of March 2023, but Preston was taken to hospital three times, once with a fractured left elbow, in the following months, the jury heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">On July 27 2023 the baby had been rushed to hospital by the defendants, unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest, and medics could not revive him. Varley told police he had briefly left the child in the bath and when he returned he was drowning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A Home Office post-mortem examination found multiple non-accidental, internal and external injuries, and a cause of death to be acute upper airways obstruction by either smothering or an object or objects inserted into his mouth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The trial was adjourned until Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/preston-davey-blackpool-baby-trial-37083267\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jamie Varley, 37, and partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, adopted 13-month-old Preston before he was allegedly<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1777397797_2_unnamed-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}