Adoptive dad denies making up story about baby's death

A man accused of murdering the baby boy he had adopted has denied making up a story to explain how he had died.

Jamie Varley, 37, denies murdering and sexually abusing 13-month-old Preston Davey at his home in Blackpool in 2023. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, denies allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual abuse.

At Preston Crown Court, Varley has been questioned for a second day by his defence counsel Nick Johnson KC.

Varley told members of thejury how he had found Preston out of his bath chair in the bath after he had briefly left him.

• Warning: The following court evidence contains distressing information

Varley said he had a shower while the baby was in the bath in his bath chair, then briefly left the room to get a towel.

He said: "I felt at the time I was only gone seconds. I really did not feel it was a long time at all. If I'd guess maybe a minute... two minutes."

He described how he had seen Preston in the water. He said he was not sure if the baby was face down in the water, but said: "It wasn't how I left him."

The barrister asked him how he felt when he saw Preston.

Varley replied: "When I went back, my legs just turned to jelly.

"I just got on my knees and scooped him up as quickly as I could. I was a bit like 'close call'.

"I was worried that it could have been far worse. I felt like it was a stupid and close call."

Varley then described how Preston's belly was distended, which he thought was from bath water he had swallowed, so he rubbed it to try to get the water out.

At this point, his barrister asked him if this whole episode was made up.

Varley said: "It's absolutely not, no. It's ridiculous that that conclusion would be drawn. There would be no reason to make such things up."

Varley then described how Preston became increasingly unwell, vomiting frequently.

He described how he had hit the baby on his back and rubbed his belly to help him.

McGown-Fazakerley, who had been out, then came home.

Varley's voice broke and he became emotional as he described saying to his partner that he did not think the baby was breathing.

The couple took Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where he died.

Johnson played Varley some police body-worn camera footage previously shown to the jury in which Varley says what happened was his fault.

Varley said: "I believed it was my fault for walking out of the bathroom. I did not know he'd not drowned."

The court has heard from a doctor who said the baby did not have any water in his lungs post-mortem.

Varley said he did not know at the time that he was being videoed at the hospital.

When Johnson asked him how he felt about Preston's death now, Varley said: "I feel we've not been given time to grieve. I feel we're still looking for answers.

"I know 100% the allegation is wrong. It couldn't be further from the truth."

The trial was paused when Varley said he felt unwell shortly after the start of his cross examination by Ann Whyte KC, who is defending McGown-Fazakerley.

It later resumed.

In cross-examining Varley, Whyte said the prosecution case was that Preston's cause of death was someone deliberately blocking his breathing.

She put it to Varley that he had done something to the child to prevent him breathing while McGowan-Fazakerley was not at home.

Whyte said her client accepted this evidence.

Whyte said McGowan-Fazakerley "does not want to believe that you [Varley] are capable of it".

Varley replied: "I know John knows I'm not capable of it."

Whyte: "The trust he placed in you has been misplaced."

Varley: " I would not have put John [McGowan-Fazakerley] in this position."

Whyte: "But you have."

Varley: "No I haven'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 photographs or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photograph of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photograph.

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 resumes on Tuesday.

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