Teacher Accused of Baby's Murder Begged Medics 'Don't Let Him Die'

A teacher accused of abusing and murdering a baby he adopted with his partner begged medics "don't let him die" and said "I effing killed him," Preston Crown Court heard.

Jamie Varley, 37, carried 13-month-old Preston Davey unconscious into Blackpool Victoria Hospital, the jury was told. Medics tried to resuscitate the child for nearly an hour before declaring further efforts futile. Preston was pronounced dead at 19:18 BST on July 27, 2023.

Varley, then a high school teacher, faces charges of murdering the child. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of allowing the death. Both deny charges of sexual abuse.

Over the four months Preston lived with them in Blackpool, the child faced routine ill-treatment, production of indecent images and videos, sexual abuse, and physical assaults, jurors heard. A post-mortem found 40 injuries.

On the day of Preston's death, paramedic Simon Crabb stood outside the ambulance bay around 18:25 when he saw Varley running with the floppy, unresponsive baby. Crabb noted the other parent was present and calmer but had a look of terror in his eyes.

Crabb took Preston and gave mouth-to-mouth breaths while rushing into the A&E department. A crash team assembled, providing chest compressions, oxygen, and specialist equipment.

Varley was hysterical, Crabb said. Varley explained he had left the baby in the bath while showering and returned three to four minutes later. "Don't let him die! Please don't let him die," Varley told him.

The emergency team worked up to an hour but could not revive Preston.

Senior anaesthetist Dr. Wendy Aubrey intubated the child to deliver oxygen to his lungs. She told the jury she saw no water in Preston's mouth or airways. "There was no water in his lungs. I would have expected water in his lungs."

Standard practice allowed family to view the resuscitation. Both defendants and Varley's mother came in. Aubrey recalled one father subdued. "The other dad was very dramatic and more dramatic than I have seen parents previously. A bit chaotic. He would not stand still and let people support him and would not listen to what has been said."

"He was initially shouting, 'Don't let him die.' He said, 'I effing killed him,'" Aubrey said. Medical notes identified that parent as Varley.

After revival efforts stopped, Varley tried chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth on Preston despite the breathing tube. Aubrey had to firmly tell him to stop.

Dr. Anthony Kearns, lead A&E consultant, said he was told the child had been pulled from water. "The child was completely dry. They had a nappy in situ, which appeared to be appropriately placed."

Four hours earlier, Varley visited his mother's house. Jurors saw a video he sent to McGowan-Fazakerley, who was at work, showing Preston bouncing on his grandmother's knee. She sang "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands," with Preston smiling and clapping.

Prosecutors allege Varley then took Preston home and subjected him to a final sexual assault.

Varley denies murder, manslaughter, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of child cruelty, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault of a child, 13 counts of making indecent photos or videos of a child, one count of distributing an indecent photo to his co-accused, and one count of making an indecent photo. The trial continues.