Jamie Varley, 37, is accused of murdering Preston Davey, one, along with 25 other charges.

A baby was sexually assaulted by a teacher who then filmed him fighting for his life, a murder trial has heard. Preston Davey, 13 months, died after being taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in July 2023.

Preston Crown Court heard today that Jamie Varley, 37, was alleged to have “routinely ill-treated” Preston just weeks after adopting him. Varley was said to have taken indecent pictures and videos of the 13-month-old.

Varley is accused of killing Preston along with 25 other charges while his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of causing or allowing the death of the child and four other offences. Both men deny all the charges against them, reports the Mirror.

Both accused sat in the dock just yards from Preston’s mother in the public gallery.

Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, told the court that Varley sexually assaulted Preston on the day he died and shortly before, causing serious internal injuries. He then failed to seek medical help causing further harm.

Footage of Preston, recorded by Varley, was found on Varley’s phone which showed the child lying on a bed that day. The court heard that Preston was showing physical signs of respiratory arrest, and his lips were blue.

The prosecution say Varley just carried on recording and did not attempt to help Preston.

Preston’s short life had “more than its share of misfortune”, the court was told. He had been a “perfectly healthy boy” before he was adopted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley in April 2023 despite being put in emergency foster care after his birth

Following his adoption, Preston was admitted to hospital with injuries three times in just under four months before he died on July 27.

Mr Wright told the jury: “This is inevitably a highly emotionally charged case. It’s a terrible case because it involves the death of a very, very young child. It is inevitable that it will provoke strong feelings in anyone who hears the details of this case.”

Preston was born on June 16, 2022 before he was placed with the defendants for them to adopt in April 2023, living at their home on Staining Road, Blackpool.

Mr Wright told the court that Preston was taken to A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital at around 6.30pm on July 27 by the defendants. He was unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest.

Despite the best efforts of doctors, Preston was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Preston had died as a result of an acute upper airways obstruction which was caused by smothering most likely with a hand or soft fabric or by the insertion of an object or objects into his mouth.

Mr Wright said: “As terrible as it is, this tragedy was not the result of some dreadful yet unforeseen accident, or natural phenomenon. The evidence gathered during the investigation into his untimely death revealed a much more sinister pathology.

“We say the evidence demonstrates that he was murdered by one of the people entrusted with his wellbeing; one of his proposed adoptive parents.

“We say the person responsible for killing Preston Davey was the defendant, Jamie Varley. But that was not the only tragedy to befall him when in the care of these defendants.

“In the final months of his brief life, we say he was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted.”

Preston had sustained around 40 injuries over the course of the four months he had been in the defendant’s care according to the post-mortem. These included 30 external bruises, a fracture to his upper left arm and internal bruising to his mouth, throat and other parts of his body.

Mr Wright said that Varley was mostly responsible for Preston’s injuries but evidence recovered by detectives implicates both men in sexual assault.

On the day he died at the time of or shortly before the final fatal assault, Varley had sexually assaulted the baby causing internal injuries, while home alone with the child and his co-accused out at work, it was alleged.

After Varley’s arrest and the seizure of his mobile phone, the footage was found that he had recorded earlier that day of the little boy lying on a bed with physical and obvious signs of respiratory arrest, but the defendant did not attempt recovery or seek medical help.

It was only later that both defendants took Preston to hospital, by which time it was too late to save him. While McGowan-Fazakerley was out at work when Varley fatally assaulted him, he had joint responsibility for caring for the child, had daily contact and should have been aware of what was going on and protected the youngster.

But not only was he aware of the abuse, he participated in it, Mr Wright said. The prosecutor warned jurors to “steel themselves” as images of the child were shown on screen, the prosecution said, after he had been sexually assaulted.

Varley had also taken a number of images and videos of the abuse, but these were not “happy snaps of family life” – but indecent images, the jury was told. The defendants appeared to be a happy, stable couple, but that was far from the truth, Mr Wright said.

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 Tuesday morning.

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An application proposes installing a pergola in the outdoor seating area of the Dark Horse Espresso Bar, on the corner of Bishopthorpe Road and South Bank Avenue.

The coffee house’s application stated it would enhance the area which would remain in keeping with the vibrant café culture of Bishopthorpe Road.

A louvered pergola would be mounted on an outside wall and positioned above the outdoor seating area at the front of the building.

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It would provide shelter and replace an existing umbrella which has struggled to stay up during strong winds, exposing the area to rain.

The pergola will be finished in dark grey metal to match the colour scheme of the outside of the building.

Plans stated the scale of the pergola was modest and it would not dominate the front of the building.

The application stated: “Bishopthorpe Road is a well-established and
vibrant mixed-use high street, characterised by a variety of independent shops, cafés, and small commercial premises at ground floor level, with residential accommodation typically located above a few properties seen on the street.

“The street is widely recognised for its strong local identity and active frontage, contributing to a lively and well-used public realm.

“The proposal represents a modest and functional addition that supports the existing commercial use, enhances the quality of the outdoor seating provision, and responds appropriately to the character and activity of Bishopthorpe Road.

“The proposed pergola will provide shelter over the existing outdoor seating area, enhancing the usability and functionality of the space while respecting the active frontage and vibrant café culture of Bishopthorpe Road.”

Mark Edwards, originally from Australia, and his York-born wife Laura received planning permission to convert the former kitchen showroom at 147 Bishopthorpe Road into a café in 2023.

They have run the Dark Horse Espresso Bar in Shambles Market since 2018.

As tensions in the Middle East continue, the Head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, said we are heading for “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced.”

It stems from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with Associated Press, he warned that flight cancellations could begin “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.

Now, Rhys Jones, a travel insurance expert at Go.Compare travel, has issued his own warning.

He explained: “The suggestion that jet fuel supplies could tighten in the coming weeks highlights how quickly travel plans can be disrupted by global events.

“Having suitable insurance in place as soon as you book can make a significant difference if circumstances change. 

“So, if you’re worried about your summer holiday being affected by the conflict, it’s not too late to get a policy in place and give you peace of mind.” 

Travel insurance provides far broader protection than just medical cover and lost belongings.

If you need to cancel a trip due to bereavement, a deterioration in health or similar circumstances, it can help mitigate the financial impact. 

And if external factors lead to cancellations or disruption to your holiday, it may help you recover some of the associated costs. 

For those with annual policies, Rhys also suggests checking that your policy covers your destination: “It’s easy to assume an annual policy covers every trip and country, but insurers typically group countries into regions, and higher-cost areas may require an upgraded level of cover. 

“Because of higher and more complex healthcare costs, some policies exclude destinations such as the USA, Canada or parts of the Caribbean unless additional cover is purchased.

“Taking the time to check could prevent costly surprises.”   

Other travel checks you should make:

• Length-of-stay limits, as many policies restrict individual trips to 30 or 45 days
• Whether winter sports or specialist activities are included, as these are often optional extras
• Cruise cover, which is usually required for sea-based holidays
• Policy details before departure, to avoid unexpected gaps in protection

And if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened, Birol said that for Europe: “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be cancelled as a result of a lack of jet fuel.

Where is going to be affected?

Birol said that for Europe: “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be cancelled as a result of a lack of jet fuel.

“The countries that will suffer the most will not be those whose voices are heard a lot.

“It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America,” said the Turkish economist and energy expert who has led the IEA since 2015.

Are you worried about going on holiday? Let us know in the comments

Hundreds of people marched through Epsom despite police insisting they had found no evidence of a gang rape offence or that asylum seekers were involved so far.

Dozens of people, some riding motorbikes, shut down Epsom town centre in Surrey on Monday night.

Some started throwing eggs at a block of flats, believed by protesters to hold asylum seekers.

Shortly after riot police charged them down, pinning one man to the floor.

Eggs and a beer can were hurled at the police line as people shouted ‘You are going to start a riot’.

It came after detectives investigating an alleged rape of a woman outside of a church after she left a nightclub said there is no evidence the incident took place as reported or that any immigrants or asylum seekers were involved.

Surrey police said earlier this week a woman in her 20s reported being attacked by a group of men on her way home from Labyrinth night club in the early hours of Saturday outside Epsom Methodist Church.

They added the rape was believed to have taken place between 2am and 4am and left the victim ‘very shaken’.

But Surrey Police said in their latest statement: ‘We are aware that speculation and concern about the report we received remains, and we reiterate that our enquiries remain ongoing.

‘These enquiries have included reviewing an extensive amount of CCTV footage from the area, carrying out forensics investigations and conducting house-to-house enquiries. To date, we have not found any evidence that the offence took place as reported.’

The spokesman added on the protests: ‘As soon as we are made aware of any protests taking place in Surrey, we always try and engage with those organising this activity, along with our partners and the local community, to ensure everyone’s views can be heard.

‘While we respect the right to lawful protest and will always aim to balance the rights of all parties involved, criminal offences and public disorder will not be tolerated, and we will always take robust action against anyone who commits a criminal offence.’

MORE: Two teenagers arrested over arson attack on north London synagogue

MORE: ‘No evidence’ that woman was gang raped sparking violent protests in Epsom

MORE: Shoplifters walking free because ‘stores won’t hand over CCTV to police’

Michael Carrick has impressed Manchester United’s former players since taking charge as interim manager with the Red Devils in the battle for a top three finish

Manchester United legends Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra have thrown their weight behind Michael Carrick for the permanent manager’s position at Old Trafford. Evra has also slammed United’s ownership for transforming the club into Chelsea with their constant managerial changes since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

The Red Devils are yet to announce who will take charge next season, with numerous high-profile bosses linked following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal in January. Luis Enrique, Carlo Ancelotti, and Thomas Tuchel have been among those touted for the vacancy at the club.

Interim boss and former United midfielder Carrick has emerged as a strong candidate following his outstanding work in temporary charge thus far. The 44-year-old has positioned United to within a maximum of six further points from securing Champions League qualification. Carrick’s team currently occupy third place with only five matches remaining.

Two of his ex-teammates have told Rio Ferdinand on the Rio Presents podcast that the former Middlesbrough manager deserves the role permanently. Giggs, who registered a club record 963 outings for United, has outlined why Carrick’s contribution shouldn’t be underestimated.

The 52-year-old also highlighted how his choices for the coaching staff have proved invaluable. He said: “The hardest thing to do as a manager is win games.

READ MORE: Marcus Rashford Barcelona transfer could be impacted by ‘second meeting’READ MORE: Patrice Evra claims ex-rival ‘shouldn’t be on TV again’ after Man Utd comparison

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“He’s winning games. It’s hard at this time of the season to really stamp your own philosophy, your own principles of play. We all know you need a pre-season. You might need a couple of pre-seasons to bring in your own players and identify how you want to play.

“I think there’s a lot to be said about him being a brilliant footballer, great bloke, but actually he’s a football guy as well, you’ve seen that on the pitch, he’s a clever guy. Even the staff that he’s got in, I thought it was a great move, getting a bit of experience. People who know the club and the players will respect.

“You’ve got obviously Johnny [Evans] who’s been in the dressing room recently, Steve Holland, someone who’s looking out from in, and just brings a little bit of experience and maybe something different that people within the club don’t see.”

Asked about his own stint as caretaker boss at the club in 2014 following David Moyes‘ dismissal, Giggs added: “I think every manager that goes into a role now is like an interim because you don’t get time. I think 20 or 30 years ago, you’re looking at the long-term, you’re buying players in.

“You can’t do that anymore, you’ve got to look at the short term and long term, and I think Michael will do that. I think another sign of a good manager is the team that he leaves behind.

“Ruben Amorim took a lot of stick for the way that he played. I didn’t enjoy watching it, but actually, I think some of his signings have been good, and I think we’re now seeing that now, so, even though his legacy probably isn’t great with results and performances, actually, he’s left the club in a pretty good place.”

Evra, however, thinks discussions about Carrick taking the reins permanently should be put on hold until the campaign concludes, though he finds it hard to understand why anyone else would be preferred. The 44-year-old said: “I don’t know why they think too much about the future.

“The present is for Carra [Carrick] to get the top four spots. That’s the goal.

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“We keep saying experience or whatever, but look at [Mikel] Arteta and Arsenal. They gave him five years, and he still didn’t win. We try with big names like [Jose] Mourinho and [Louis] van Gaal. We try with [Ruben] Amorim.

“So that’s why, for me, saying Carra should get the job, this is not the question of the day. This is not the question of the moment. Carra is doing a good job, so let’s be behind him. Then at the end of the season, if he doesn’t qualify, then I will understand if some people say, ‘OK, we need a new manager,’ but I don’t know if he will work.

“Personally, I couldn’t believe with the first game against City and the way we played, it doesn’t matter about the result. I was like, ‘wow, all the players are passionate.’ So why don’t we have someone from the house? He knows the club. He’s really calm.”

Evra then drew comparisons between the revolving door of managers at United in recent years and the situation at Chelsea. He added: “We will have to start from zero. I just feel we’ve become like Chelsea. This is not United.

“Normally we need consistency and we we try with Amorim and to be honest, I was in shock. Yes, the results weren’t there, but I was thinking, ‘they will give him more time.’ Then they bring in Carra and he is doing miracles.”

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A woman arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a collision in central London has been named as a former X Factor star turned influencer Gabrielle Carrington, 29

A X Factor finalist has been charged after an influencer was left fighting for her life after a car ploughed into her on a London street.

Gabrielle Carrington, 29, known as RIELLEUK, was detained by the Met Police after social media star Klaudiaglam, real name Klaudia Zakrzewska, was left in a serious condition after she was hit by a car. The influencer and two other pedestrians were hit on Argyll Street, in Soho, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Carrington, who had been in the TV show girl group Miss Dynamix, was taken into custody, where she remains.

Police confirmed this evening that the former X Factor star has been charged with attempted murder.

A Met spokesperson said: “A woman has been charged with attempted murder following a serious collision in Westminster.

“At around 04:30hrs on Sunday, 19 April, officers were called to Argyll Street following reports that a car had been involved in a collision with pedestrians.

“Police attended with the London Ambulance Service, a woman in her 30’s remains in a life-threatening condition.

“In the same collision, a man in his 50s sustained life-changing injuries and was taken to hospital. A third woman, aged in her 30s, was treated for minor injuries.

“Gabrielle Carrington, 29,, has been charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm with intent, actual bodily harm and drink driving. She has been remanded in custody ahead of her first appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 21 April.

“The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.”

Polish-born Klaudia, who has over 258,000 followers on Instagram, had been at the Inca nightclub with friends on that night. A video circulating online appears to show the moment a black car drove into a group of people in the London street.

Klaudia appears to fall to the ground and becomes trapped under the vehicle, as other pedestrians are seen rushing over to help.

The Met Police added that a man in his 50s was taken to hospital and he sustained life-changing injuries. Police added that a third woman, aged in her 30s, was treated for minor injuries.

As a teenager Carrington made it to the live finals of X Factor as part of Miss Dynamix but they were eventually voted off. After the group was voted off the show, in October 2013, Carrington told the Xtra Factor show: “We’ve never been satisfied so far but our sing off, that was Miss Dynamix. That was us.”

The group split in 2014 and the singer in recent years became an influencer, with over 362,000 followers on Instagram. She posted herself on luxe holidays, fancy restaurants and appeared to have been creating a hair brand.

DCI Alison Foxwell – from Specialist Crime South – said: “As our enquiries continue, our thoughts are with those injured and their loved ones. While this incident took place in the early hours of the morning, venues in the area were still open, and we believe a number of people will have seen what happened.

“I would urge anyone who witnessed the collision, or any activity prior to it that they feel may be of relevance, to come forward. The information you have – however minor you believe it may be – could be of crucial importance to investigators.”

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A planned fight among young people escalated into a mass shooting at a North Carolina park Monday morning that left two people dead, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 10 a.m. at Leinbach Park, which is near Jefferson Middle School, Winston-Salem police said in a social media post.

Several people were shot, including two fatally, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

Winston-Salem police Assistant Chief Jason Swaim said two juveniles had agreed to meet at the park to fight. He said a firearm was discharged during the fight, which “resulted in multiple victims being shot.” He said authorities have identified “numerous people” involved in what happened, but that investigators were still trying to determine their exact involvement, including whether they were a suspect, victim or witness.

Swaim said schools nearby the park were safe and that parents of students at Jefferson Middle School could pick up their children there.

The shooting happened in a park in a suburban and residential area northwest of downtown Winston-Salem, a city of about 250,000 known for decades as the home of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

A dramatic finish at the Delaware Marathon on 19 April saw Joshua Jackson snatch victory in the final moment overtaking leader Carson Mello by less than a second. Mello, thinking a win was guaranteed, slowed in celebration before Jackson’s powerful late surge sealed the win.

A decision on Rew and the rest of the England squad will be influenced by the new selector, a role for which applications closed on Friday.

There is also still plenty of time for others to stake their claim – most counties have four more matches before the first Test, along with those two Lions games.

Crawley could find the form that keeps his place. If England decide to omit the Kent man and want a specialist opener as his replacement, then Durham pair Ben McKinney and Emilio Gay have started the season well. Asa Tribe is also opening for Glamorgan.

There could be two batting spots available in the Test squad, simply because England often pick a reserve to cover for the top seven. Elsewhere, there are questions over the spin and pace-bowling slots.

Shoaib Bashir had an awful winter, and is trying to move on with a new home and plenty of overs at Derbyshire. If England picked Bashir when he was not playing county cricket, would they then leave him out when he is?

If not Bashir, would England go back to Jack Leach, Liam Dawson, or even leg-spinner Mason Crane, whose only Test cap came more than eight years ago? Will Jacks is the incumbent, and other all-round options include Rehan Ahmed and James Coles.

England’s fast-bowling department is experiencing its most uncertain period for more than two decades, with James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and -most likely – Mark Wood out of the picture.

Brydon Carse has a broken wrist and Jofra Archer is at the Indian Premier League. Gus Atkinson has not played so far this season following the hamstring injury he suffered at the Ashes, but should be able to join Josh Tongue in the squad to take on New Zealand.

There could be two or three vacancies at the beginning of the series. Sonny Baker has a central contract and has made a superb start to the season, after a struggle when he made his England white-ball debuts last year.

England are keen to find a new-ball bowler to replace the retired Woakes. Matthew Fisher was called into the Ashes squad and Tom Lawes is highly rated, though both are in a Surrey team that has struggled to take wickets in the first two rounds of the Championship. Sam Cook played one Test last year, too small a sample size to make a judgement on the prolific Essex seamer.

And is it finally time for England to bury the hatchet with Ollie Robinson? Still only 32, he has 76 wickets at an average below 23. He has not played for England in more than a year.

Now Sussex captain, leading his team to two wins from two, many rate Robinson as the best new-ball bowler in the country. Can England afford to ignore him?