Teacher 'sexually assaulted baby he was adopting and filmed his fight for life'

Teacher 'sexually assaulted baby he was adopting and filmed his fight for life'Preston Davey was set to be adopted by Jamie Varley, 37, and John McGowan-Fazackerly, 32, but died after being taken to Blackpool Victoria HospitalNewsFionnula Hainey and Christopher Mallett17:15, 20 Apr 2026Updated 17:28, 20 Apr 2026View ImageTragic Preston Davey was just 13 months old when he diedA teacher sexually assaulted a baby boy he was adopting then filmed him as he lay on a bed showing signs of having stopped breathing, a murder trial heard today.Little Preston Davey was allegedly “routinely ill-treated” by Jamie Varley, who took indecent pictures and videos of the 13-month-old.Varley, 37, is accused of killing 13-month-old, along with 25 other charges relating to his sexual and physical mistreatment.Stood alongside him in the dock at Preston Crown Court today was his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, who is accused of causing or allowing the death of the child and four other offences. Both men deny all charges.Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court that, on the day Preston died, and shortly before, Varley sexually assaulted him causing serious internal injuries. He then failed to seek medical help causing further harm.When Varley’s phone was seized there was footage of Preston, recorded by Varley, lying on a bed, that day. He had physical signs of respiratory arrest, and his lips were blue, the court hears. But the prosecution say Varley did nothing to help the baby - just carried on recording.Preston's short life had “more than its share of misfortune” being put in emergency foster care after his birth, but Preston had been a “perfectly healthy boy” before he was adopted by the defendants in April of 2023.But he was admitted to hospital with injuries three times in the just under four months after being adopted, before his death on July 27, 2023.Mr Wright told the jury of six women and six men: “This is inevitably a highly emotionally charged...