‘I’ve not witnessed Jae hurt him’: Moment boyfriend defends partner accused of abusing and murdering baby they were adopting is shown to court
The boyfriend of a teacher accused of abusing and murdering a boy they were going to adopt said today that he never harmed or sexually assaulted her.
Preston Davey died in July 2023, four months after being placed in the care of John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, and Jamie Varley, 37.
The couple are accused of ‘routinely’ mistreating, sexually assaulting and physically assaulting the 13-month-old baby, who was taken from his biological mother and placed in foster care when he was five days old.
Secondary school textile teacher Varley, known as Jae, has also been charged with murder, while sales representative McGowan-Fazakerley is also accused of allowing Preston’s death.
A jury at Preston Crown Court was today shown video interviews of McGowan-Fazakerley being interviewed by detectives in June 2025, almost two years after Preston’s death.
In the clips, officers from Lancashire Constabulary explain that a specialist pathologist who performed a post-mortem on the baby found 20 external bruises on his head and body, as well as serious internal injuries.
Pathologist Dr. Alison Armor told the court bruises on Preston’s bladder and the back of her throat were consistent with her being sexually assaulted before she died.
But when officers confronted McGowan-Fazakerley with their findings, he appeared agitated, asked him to stand up and said he could not explain such injuries.
He insisted: ‘There is no explanation whatsoever for these injuries.
‘I did not witness Jae or anyone else hurting, harming, abusing or neglecting her (Preston). ‘I certainly never did.’
Preston Davey was photographed by his stepdad Jamie Varley, 37, after his first sleepover at his new ‘dad’s’ house. Varley is accused of sexually assaulting and murdering Preston
Varley’s partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, denied five charges against him
Former secondary school teacher Jamie Varley, 37, denied a total of 25 charges against him
McGowan-Fazakerley told officers that the bruises on Preston’s knees and shins may have been accidental because he was learning to crawl, while the bruises on his back may have been caused by the baby swing he used to go to the park.
He said he could not reveal the rest but added: ‘I never harmed Preston.
‘I never heard or saw anyone else harming him. ‘I never saw Jamie hurt her.’
Preston had been hospitalized three times before he died, including for a broken elbow, but Varley told police he ‘did not believe’ the baby had that many bruises or that the pathologist’s report was ‘accurate’.
Detectives also asked McGowan-Fazakerley about a series of videos and photographs taken by Varley that appeared to focus on Preston’s genitals.
One of the videos showed Varley and Preston laughing while naked in the bathroom, while another showed Preston in a kiddie pool with the camera zoomed in on the babe’s private parts.
McGowan-Fazakerley claimed there was “nothing bad” in the photos and footage, but admitted she would not have taken some of them because they were “inappropriate”.
‘I would take a photo or video of Elijah with nothing on, like any parent would,’ he said.
‘I don’t take photos focusing on any area, I think that’s not appropriate.’
Preston Davey died and 40 injured after being abused, jury was told
Court drawing of Jamie Varley (left) and partner John McGowan-Fazakerley (right)
Earlier in the interview, detectives also asked McGowan-Fazakerley about text messages indicating problems in the couple’s relationship.
The jury was told the couple, Elijah, was an insomniac and Varley, who took a year off from his job to become his primary carer, was struggling with insomnia and cared for McGowan-Fazakerley on his own while she was at work.
In a message sent to McGowan-Fazakerley on June 11, seven weeks before Preston’s death, Varley wrote: ‘I’ll stop trying now, I love you and our beautiful little family so much, I just need some time.’
McGowan-Fazakerley responded: ‘I need you to try.’
Varley said: ‘As a father, I regret my actions.’
McGowan-Fazakerley admitted the couple, who live in Blackpool, had an ‘argument’ but said they later apologized to each other, ‘hugged’ and patched up their differences.
Varley, head of Year 11 at a comprehensive school in the Lancashire seaside resort, denies murder, manslaughter, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, causing grievous bodily harm, sexually assaulting a child, taking indecent photographs or videos of a child, distributing an indecent photograph of a child to other defendants and one count of taking an indecent photograph.
McGowan-Fazakerley denies authorizing the death of a child, three counts of cruelty to children and one count of sexual assault on a child.
The trial continues.
