Teacher's 'dark thoughts' toward baby he was adopting before tot died after 'sexual abuse'

Teacher's 'dark thoughts' toward baby he was adopting before tot died after 'sexual abuse'WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Preston Davey was “a perfectly healthy” baby when he was placed in the care of Jamie Varley and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley - he died four months later, court heardNewsPhil Cardy Senior Reporter13:59, 21 Apr 2026Updated 14:21, 21 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesPreston Davey died aged 13 monthsA secondary school teacher accused of murdering a 13-month-old baby boy he was in the process of adopting had “dark thoughts” towards the tot, a court has heard.Preston Davey was “a perfectly healthy” baby when he was placed in the care of Jamie Varley, 37, and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, at their home in Blackpool in April 2023.Less than four months later, in July, he was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where he died from an acute obstruction of his upper airway. Prosecutors said this obstruction was caused by smothering with a hand or fabric or the insertion of an object into his mouth.Preston crown court heard the child had been routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries.Varley, 37, denies murder along with 25 other charges relating to sexual and physical mistreatment of the baby. McGowan-Fazakerley pleaded not guilty to allowing the death of a child and four other offences..The court heard in early July 2023 Varley visited a colleague's house where he appeared “nervous and on edge”. The baby’s arm was in a plaster cast for a fractured elbow.Shortly after arriving McGowan-Fazakerley turned up and took Preston - who the couple had renamed Elijah - away. Varley then told his friend he was struggling mentally.View 3 ImagesPreston Davey died aged 13 monthsPeter Wright KC, prosecuting, said: “He was worried about ‘Elijah’ in respect of his not sleeping and that he was not ‘bonding’ with him as he had hoped. He disclosed to her that he had harmful thoughts towar...