A teacher accused of the sexual abuse and murder of an adopted baby has denied making up a story that the child drowned in the bath.
Jamie Varley, 37, said he left the child, who he named Elijah, in the bath for only a couple of minutes, but returned to find him submerged, a jury at Preston Crown Court heard.
Varley was questioned about the day Preston Davey died aged 13 months after being rushed to hospital by himself and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32.
A Home Office pathologist later ruled out drowning.
The pathologist found the child had suffered 40 traumatic injuries which jurors have been told are consistent with sexual and physical abuse.
Both men deny all charges.
Nick Johnson KC, defending Varley, completed his questions by asking the defendant: “Mr Varley, how do you feel now about Preston Elijah’s death?”
Varley replied: “I feel we have not been given time to grieve. I feel we are still looking for our answers.
“I feel our pathologist, Professor Jack Crane, is closer to what I experienced that day.
“I know 100% their allegations and opinions and view points are wrong. It could not be further from the truth.
“I’m lost for words.”
Mr Johnson said: “What would you say, if it’s said the bath incident is entirely made up?”
Varley replied: “It’s not. There would be no reason to make such things up.”
Preston, described as happy, healthy and a “bubby” baby, was adopted and began living with the defendants at their home in Blackpool on April 1 2023.
But it is alleged before his death four months later on July 27, he was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, and was sexually abused and physically assaulted.
Varley, who took parental leave from his job as head of year at a local high school, said on the afternoon of the day Preston died the child did not have is usual nap so he put him in bed with himself and nodded off.
After he woke up he noticed Preston was not well.
“What did you do?” Mr Johnson asked.
Varley replied: “I opened Snapchat and filmed him having what I believed to be a seizure.”
The defendant said it was like previous seizures and he filmed it to so he could show medical staff the symptoms, and he did not think Preston needed medical assistance at the time.
He later flicked through his phone, discussing the online sale of a kayak, looked at social media and checked emails as he soothed Preston who was recovering, he said.
There was then two phone “activity gaps” lasting around a half an hour.
Varley said he ran a bath for the baby, the water about two inches in depth and he sat the child on a bath seat, as he got in the shower cubicle next to it.
After a quick shower he said he left the bathroom to get a towel and clothes but when he returned, one or two minutes later, Preston was off his seat and in the water.
Varley said: “When I entered the bathroom my legs just felt like jelly. I scooped him up as quickly as I could, he gasped for a breath of air.”
The defendant said he initially regarded it as a “stupid close call” but the child then began vomiting very heavily and his condition worsened.
“That’s when panic started to kick in,” Varley said, who told the court he put his fingers in the child’s mouth as he thought he might be choking.
At this time McGowan-Fazakerley returned home from work and Preston lost consciousness, Varley said, so they rushed him to hospital.
Medics tried for an hour to revive the baby but told Varley they could not save his life.
Varley continued: “I remember running straight through them down the corridors to see Preston.
“I remember at some point seeing a cross in the hospital, I remember grabbing that cross asking the Lord not to take him.
“I believe it was my fault through walking out of the bathroom.
“At that point I did not know he had not drowned.”
Varley denied ever having sexually or physically abused the baby.
Earlier, Dr Alison Armour, who carried out a post-mortem examination, found non-accidental, internal and external injuries.
She gave the cause of death as acute upper airways obstruction by either smothering or an object or objects inserted into his mouth.
The jury has heard Preston had internal injuries to his deep throat, bladder and bottom and “in excess” of 30 bruises and a human bite mark on his right buttock.
Parts of his anatomy were described as “abnormal”, with some injuries consistent with “forcible penetration” and clinical signs of sexual abuse.
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.
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 was adjourned until next Tuesday.
