Adopted baby was left at 'mercy' of abusive parents, murder trial hears

Adopted baby was left at 'mercy' of abusive parents, murder trial hears Preston Davey, who died aged 13 months in July 2023, was left at the 'mercy' of his adoptive parents, Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazackerley, prosecutors allege A baby was left at the "mercy" of his abusive adoptive parent and "paid for it with his life", a court has heard. Preston Davey, aged 13 months, died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in July 2023 after suffering 40 injuries over a four-month period while in the care of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazackerley, prosecutors allege. Varley, 37, is accused of killing and sexually abusing baby Preston, whom he was in the process of adopting with his 32-year-old partner McGowan-Fazackerley, who is accused of causing or allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault. During the four months the baby was under their adoption at their home in Blackpool, he was allegedly routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, was sexually abused and physically assaulted. The two men, of Grimsargh, Preston, are on trial at Preston Crown Court charged with a string of offences against the baby. Both men deny all charges. Peter Wright KC, in his closing speech to the jury in the seventh week of the trial, said: "Preston Davey was just nine months old when he was placed with these defendants for adoption. "It was supposed to be, you may conclude, the start of a new life together for each of them. Yet just a few days short of four months later Preston was dead and his body contained injuries both external and internal we say, consistent with his abuse." Mr Wright said it was only after Preston began living at the couple’s home in April 2023 that he suffered a series of non-accidental injuries, including bruising, seizures, respiratory failure and anatomical abnormalities. He said the "common denominator" was that the incidents occurred when Preston had been left alone with Varley. Mr Wright said the alleged indecent images and videos taken of Preston demonstrated Varley’s sexual interest in the child, adding that the interest was "shared" by his partner. The prosecutor added: "Preston’s death was a tragedy waiting to happen. Mr McGowan-Fazakerley knew that but chose to ignore it." A post-mortem examination found 40 external and internal traumatic injuries to the child’s body, consistent with "forcible penetration" and sexual abuse, and ruled out drowning as the cause of death. The cause of Preston’s death was recorded as acute upper airways obstruction by either smothering or an object or objects inserted into his mouth. Concluding his speech, the prosecutor added: "Preston was at the mercy of Jamie Varley on the 27th of July, and paid for it with his life." 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 images or videos of a child, one count of distributing an indecent image of a child to his co-accused and one count of making an indecent image. McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of sexual assault of a child. The trial was adjourned until Tuesday morning.