Preston Davey, 13 months old, died in Blackpool in July 2023 after suffering more than 40 internal and external injuries, a trial jury has heard
A man accused of murdering his adopted son made jokes about ‘strangling him’ just a fortnight before his death, a court has heard.
Preston Davey was rushed to A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in cardiac and respiratory arrest on July 27, 2023. Medical staff attempted to save the 13-month-old but he was declared dead at 7.25pm.
A post mortem examination revealed he had sustained more than 40 distinct internal and external injuries and his airways had been blocked, jurors were told. Prosecutors claim he was sexually assaulted on the day of his death, reports Lancs Live.
Preston had been under the care of Jamie Varley, 37, and John McGowan-Fazackerley, 32, since April 2023 – with medical assessments indicating he was ‘fit and healthy’ when placed with them, the court heard. He was admitted to hospital on three different occasions prior to his death, the jury was told.
Jurors at Preston Crown Court were shown text messages sent from Mr Varley’s mobile to Mr McGowan-Fazackerley’s device on July 10, 2023.
The court heard they read: “Your son’s in hospital. I strangled him. Jokes. Just give me a call when done.”
The next day Preston was admitted to hospital with an arm injury requiring a plaster cast, the court was told. The prosecution claims this was a non-accidental injury and constitutes a charge of GBH against Mr Varley.
Earlier in the trial, Peter Wright KC informed jurors that Preston had endured physical, psychological and sexual abuse throughout his time in the care of Mr Varley, a teacher, and Mr McGowan-Fazackerley, a salesman. On Friday (May 1), the jury was shown footage of Preston being spun in a children’s saucer toy at a playground on July 19, 2023
Some clips showed him spinning slowly, though one appeared ‘quite fast’, Mr Wright KC said. One clip showed Preston ‘readjusting his focus’ after being spun around.
In another, Mr Varley can be heard saying ‘Elijah, Elijah’, before using his thumb to lift the baby’s eyelid, jurors were told. The clips were shared with Mr McGowan-Fazackerley and Mr Varley’s mother, with Dead or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round’ and Kylie’s ‘Spinning Around’ edited into the footage, the jury heard.
One clip, the court was told, was also forwarded to a friend of Mr Varley’s, who responded: “I would have thrown up if that was me.”
The jury was further shown photographs of Preston slumped over the bars of his cot on the day both men are alleged to have sexually assaulted him. Images taken during a forensic examination of the cot, which appeared to show staining, were also presented to jurors.
An additional video of Preston, alone in a bath, was retrieved from Mr Varley’s phone, the court heard. Preston appeared to be unsupervised for 14 minutes in the footage, which was subsequently deleted later that same day, it was stated.
The jury was shown records from a telephone consultation with Preston’s GP on July 26, the day before he died. Mr Varley had reported that Preston had a watery eye which he kept rubbing, but the doctor found no evidence of infection, the jury heard.
The GP advised that the condition be monitored and that he be contacted again should any redness or stickiness develop, the court was told.
The very next day, Preston was rushed to hospital having collapsed, after having been left alone at home with Mr Varley, the court heard. He later died as a result of his injuries, the jury was told.
Mr Varley faces charges of murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, GBH, child cruelty, making indecent images and distributing an indecent image. Mr McGowan-Fazackerley is charged with causing and allowing the death of a child, two counts of cruelty to a person under 16 and sexual assault of a male child under 13.
Both men, of Staining Avenue, Blackpool, deny all the allegations.
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