Jurors heard a harrowing account of a baby boy whose life ended while being adopted by a teacher and her partner. The prosecution alleged the infant suffered sexual abuse and murder, noting that a human bite mark had been discovered on his body a full six weeks before he died. This disturbing detail emerged as the court began examining the sequence of events leading up to the child's tragic passing.
Preston Davey was only nine months old when he moved in with Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley back in April 2023. Although the pair had secured approval to adopt the young boy, his life came to a tragic end less than four months after the placement began. The transition, intended to provide a permanent home, instead resulted in the child's death a short time later.
The jury at Preston Crown Court was told that the youngster faced constant mistreatment,sexual abuse, and physical violence before being smothered to death. A post-mortem examination later uncovered a total of 40 different injuries across his body, which included significant bruising found at the back of his throat. These grim findings suggest the infant endured a terrifying ordeal in the period leading up to his final moments.
On Wednesday, the jury viewed an image of the little boy from June 2023, where he was pictured naked in a paddling pool. Dr Alison Armour, the pathologist who conducted Preston's autopsy, pointed out a 'purple-brownish' circular bruise visible on his right buttock. She explained that this mark showed a 'sparing' or 'un-involvement' of skin at the centre, making the injury clearly identifiable in the photograph.
🚨 Today's court update.A tough read - proceed with caution ⚠️A teacher accused of murdering his adopted baby angrily denied harming and sexually abusing the boy when confronted by police, a trial has heard.Jamie Varley, 37, told officers "I have not done it. I will fight…pic.twitter.com/rNo6Sia5gG
'It's my view that this most likely represents a human bite mark,' the expert testified. She noted that the 'size, the shape, the central sparing is all consistent with a human bite mark,' providing the court with her professional assessment of the injury. According to the pathologist, these specific characteristics pointed directly to the mark being caused by a person's teeth.
The jury heard that the picture was captured on the mobile phone of McGowan-Fazakerley, who works as a sales rep, just before 7 p.m. on 12 June. This means the mark was documented roughly six weeks before Preston lost his life. The timing of the digital image provides a specific window into when the youngster was already suffering from such visible injuries.
When prosecutor Peter Wright KC asked if the mark—which measured about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) across—could have come from a fall or a toy like Lego, Dr Armour was firm. 'No, it's inconsistent with a fall or the proposition you've just put to me,' she replied. Her testimony dismissed the idea of an accident, insisting the injury did not match the typical patterns of a tumble or a knock against a hard object.
The expert also examined a sequence of photos taken by Varley, a textiles teacher, during a brief window on the afternoon of July 23—just four days before Preston passed away. These images, captured over roughly three minutes, showed the little boy appearing to be asleep or 'unresponsive' while his body was partially propped up. His arms were draped over the top rail of his cot, leaving him in a suspended position that was described to the court.
When asked about how Preston was positioned, Dr Armour stated: 'This is very unsafe and, in my view, dangerous.' Mr Wright followed up by asking: 'It may be obvious, but what risk here is presented in terms of Preston and his well-being?'
Source: International Business Times UK
