A high school teacher has been found guilty of the murder and sexual abuse of a 13-month-old baby he treated as a “plaything”.
Jamie Varley, 37, adopted Preston Davey, at nine months old with his partner, ex-public schoolboy and financial sales manager, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32.
Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order by Oldham Council.
Ms Davey, aged 14 at the time, had been jailed for the “unspeakably wicked” murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 and in and out of prison since then.
Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption and at nine months old Preston began living at their home in Blackpool, Lancs in April 2023.
But in the just under four months he was in their care, he was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries, the defendant’s trial at Preston Crown Court has heard.
Following an eight-week trial a jury spent around 14 hours considering verdicts before it returned to court to deliver verdicts.
Varley of was found guilty of murder, 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 was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.
Varley stood in the dock and put his hands to his face in shock as the guilty verdicts were read, before collapsing to his knees, wretching and vomiting.
His co-accused made no reaction, while McGowan-Fazakerley’s father shook his head.
Preston’s mother and grandmother burst into tears, sobbing throughout as the 29 guilty verdicts were returned.
Both defendants will not be sentenced on Monday and Mr Justice Turner said he will pass sentence on Thursday.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, of Lancashire Police, described the investigation into the death of the 13-month-old as “harrowing”.
Mr Fallows said: “I suppose I’d just like to say that you know this investigation, whilst it is hugely sad, has been to try to get justice for a little boy who has been grossly mistreated by the two people who should have loved and cared for him.
“It is the greatest misplacement of trust. They have betrayed him.
“This child has been cruelly treated, and it’s wicked. There’s no other word for it.
“Any investigation involving the death of a child is harrowing enough, but when you see the circumstances behind this and what’s happened to that little boy over that four-month period he was in the care of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley it’s really difficult not to be affected by that.”
Karen Tonge, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “This has been one of the most shocking and horrific cases I have dealt with in my career.
“Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley had a responsibility to care for and protect baby Preston. They violated that responsibility and 13-month-old Preston was abused with sickening ease.
“It is difficult to comprehend how the very people who should have loved him could inflict such sickening physical and sexual harm on an innocent child.
“No child should have to go through what Preston went through in the last four months of his short life and I cannot begin to imagine the toll this has taken on those that loved Preston. My thoughts remain with them all.”
