Teacher accused of murdering baby he was adopting denies taking ‘trophy’ pictures after alleged sexual abuse

A teacher on trial for the sexual abuse and murder of a baby adopted by him and his partner has rejected showing photos and videos as a ‘reward’ for the abuse.

Jamie Varley, 37, told jurors on Thursday that photographs and footage of Preston Davey were taken because ‘I wanted to capture his whole life, every part of him.’

Varley, on trial at Preston Crown Court, was questioned by his barrister Nicholas Johnson KC about the photographs of the 13-month-old baby.

One showed the baby with an inflamed bottom, while a number of others showed him sleeping, his arms outstretched and his head drooping over the bars of his cot; The prosecution claimed that she was sexually abused.

The cot photos were taken on July 23, the day the prosecution alleges Preston was sexually assaulted by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.

The incident took place four days before the boy died from what the pathologist described as strangulation and a serious sexual assault.

Mr Johnson asked: ‘Were these pictures memories of a sexual incident?’

Varley replied: ‘No they weren’t’.

Varley’s partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, denied five charges against him

The court announced that tragic baby Preston Davey, who died at the age of 13 months, was ‘strangled and sexually assaulted’

She claimed she took sleeping photos of Preston to show her partner John McGowan-Fazakerley how he ‘slept in funny positions’ and the baby also fell asleep in that position.

Varley admitted putting a soft toy under Preston to support him.

However, Varley said through tears that he regretted taking the photos. He said: ‘I’m ashamed, I’m really ashamed. I didn’t want to cause him any trouble or harm. At that moment I felt like he was safe, he was okay. I just wanted to catch him getting into funny positions.’

Varley said the liquid residue on the cuff sticks was due to Preston being sick and may have been traces of formula milk.

Varley explained that the bruises found on Preston’s body were due to him being ‘clumsy’ and experiencing ‘falls almost every day’.

He said: ‘He was clumsy, very clumsy.’

When Mr Johnson asked how often the baby had ‘mishaps’ or falls, Varley said: ‘Daily’.

The secondary school’s year director was questioned about Preston’s broken elbow on May 5.

He said he and his partner arrived home after 11pm after visiting McGowan-Fazakerley’s parents in Cheshire and put Preston to bed.

Varley told how she went to check on the baby and found him awake and said to him: ‘What are you doing cheeky boy, you must be asleep’.

Varley said Preston tried to grab his arms from the edge of the bed and was ‘jumping up and down’.

“He came down and twisted his arm,” Varley said.

He said he ‘wasn’t thinking of anything at the time’ and only noticed Preston was in pain the next morning while having breakfast.

Varley also described his sadness over two other incidents; The incident left Preston in the bathroom for 14 minutes on the afternoon of his death, with the phone recording the baby ‘slithering and grunting’.

Mr Johnson asked: ‘Why didn’t you help him?’

Varley, who was living in Blackpool with his partner at the time of Preston’s death, replied: ‘I appreciate it wasn’t the best move but it was all in good faith. I realized that he was good and that he was hitting his toys. I got angry. “I felt like he was really safe.”

He also accepted it was wrong to whirl Preston around on a ‘teacup’ ride in the playground on July 19 – which was recorded on video, with footage sent to his partner and mother.

He said: ‘This is unacceptable. ‘I was incredibly disappointed and angry at myself but at the time I didn’t think I had done anything wrong.’

Varley denies charges of murder, manslaughter, indecent assault, GBH by breaking Preston’s elbow, cruelty and creating and sharing indecent images.

Sales agent McGowan-Fazakerley denies causing or permitting the death of a child, indecent assault and cruelty.