Adoptive father 'sexually abused and smothered baby'

Adoptive father 'sexually abused and smothered baby'36 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleGoogleJamie Varley, 37, and John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, appeared at Preston Crown CourtA former high school teacher sexually assaulted and smothered to death a baby boy he adopted months earlier with his partner, a jury has been told. The court heard Preston Davey, who was pronounced dead at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in July 2023, had suffered 40 traumatic injuries over four months.Jamie Varley, 37, is accused of killing the 13-month-old, along with 25 other charges relating to his sexual and physical mistreatment.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 charges.Warning: The following court evidence contains information some readers may find distressingPreston Crown Court heard that in the final months of his brief life, the child had been routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted.Peter Wright KC, opening the case for the prosecution, said Preston had been a "perfectly healthy boy" before he was adopted by the defendants in April 2023.But, he said, the boy was admitted to hospital with injuries three times in the next four months. He died on 27 July.Wright said: "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."Preston was born on 16 June 2022, and at nine months old was placed with the defendants for them to adopt, living at their home on Staining Road, Blackpool, the court heard.Wright said Preston had been taken by the defendants to the hospital's A&E at about 18:30 BST on 27 July. He was unconscious and in a state of cardiac arrest and died less than an hour later. 'Sinister pathology'A post-mortem examinati...