Baby Preston Davey - Content warning concerns CSA (added by MNHQ)

[Sadmamma35]

I’ve just read about baby Preston Davey and I cannot stop thinking about him. I have a 13-month-old of my own, which is probably why this has hit me so hard — I can really relate and my baby is my everything.
I’m crying as I write this. Why does it hurt so much for a baby I’ve never even met? Has anyone else felt this way?
How do you cope with the negative thoughts that follow when you read something like this? 💙

I am far from convinced of JMFs guilt, to be honest.

Exactly this. If this were remotely true it would have been front and centre of the this trial. Especially as they are trying to say Varley and JFM are paedophiles. I thought it very odd that there is no evidence of paeophilia in relation to other children such as internet searches or child abuse images. They’ve tried to claim some naked photos of Preston were evidence of a sexual interest in children but I’m sure thousands of parents have taken naked photos of their children when babies without nefarious intentions. There even seems to be a school of thought that it’s perfectly fine to let naked children run around and go into the sea/pool until about four on hot days so I do think it’s a bit of a tenuous allegation with nothing else behind it ( I am aware of the bruise on the bladder but thought there would be other physical signs but maybe we’re not being told)

However I can’t see anyway Varley would be found not guilty of murder and physical abuse but unclear JFM. Like a lot of people accused of causing or allowing…. he seems to have been in thrall to Varley who seems to be a very controlling and overbearing character. JFM had no experience of children and Varley had siblings and nephews and nieces and was a a teacher and DSL. Really thought they would have come back with the verdict on Friday.

I thought there was non-accidental internal tearing and fractures to the pelvis found at post mortem, as well as bruising to the back of the throat which was implicated in the smothering. You and I may well deduce what the object was but I presume the prosecution can't definitely prove it so that has to be left open and for the jury to decide. Not much was made about the bag of sex toys but presumably they have been ruled out.

I also wonder if JFM will get away with it.

I didn’t hear about the non-accidental tearing and fractures to the pelvis. Those were the sort of things I was expecting to hear in relation to sexual abuse. Again the bruising at the back of throat is potentially indicative of physical abuse but not necessarily anything sexual. All I was saying I was surprised they haven’t found anything, particularly online material, that indicated an obvious sexual interest in children prior to adopting Preston.

I really didn’t think the jury would be able to come to a decision on each charge as early as yesterday. They have to be certain on each charge for two defendants which is going to be confusing and hard. Didn’t the pair stay together after Preston’s death? Was it never discussed? Has JFM never thought to speak to JV about what happened?? Have they plotted and planned a defence together or is JFM indeed innocent as he was the absent parent ie working. I get the feeling JV was the dominant one in the relationship. I’d say he resented doing all the ‘heavy lifting’ regarding the childcare. If he’s guilty and JFM knew what was going on, well, I don’t have the words

I agree with you, it does seem as if there would be more to find if they were paedophiles. Maybe is just aimed at Preston, for whatever reason he was made to suffer. Poor baby.

There was tearing and damage to his bladder.

The tearing was apparently minuscule and they are claiming the bladder could have been damaged when Varley was pushing on his stomach/back area “like a tube of toothpaste” when he was trying to resuscitate him, although he didn’t mentioned this when interviewed.

Everything can, in theory, be explained away in isolation, but taken as a whole it paints a very different picture. The sexual abuse allegation by the prosecution is vague, as another poster mentioned. The semen found on his cot bars was classed as neutral evidence because it could have been transmitted through laundry/some other excuse.

I’ve got a really unsettling feeling that not guilty is a possibility for both.

It's actually Varley's behaviour in interview that sways me towards me thinking he's guilty.
If I was accused of crimes like this I don't think anger and finger-pointing would be my reaction.
Then again everyone's different aren't they.
I've seen several trials and something a judge said at one of them has stuck with me - that there is often evidence that doesn't make sense.

Another thing I don't understand is the behaviour of hospital staff in the bodycam footage - being insistent that Varley goes to see his baby when he doesn't want to and is in a distressed state [which has been questioned as fake but obviously the staff didn't know that he was a suspect then just an emotional parent]
No 'have 5 minutes and then come' but a constant demand that he come.

I think in that clip in the hospital they were planning on removing the life support and that’s why they were more insistent that JV went to be with Preston then. That was really early on though so I could be misremembering.

Yes I suspected something like that.

'I've seen several trials and something a judge said at one of them has stuck with me - that there is often evidence that doesn't make sense.'
I don't understand what you/this means?
If it's evidence it surely makes sense for the prosecution otherwise they wouldn't have submitted it as evidence no?

Sorry for asking but why did this mean he had to be with Preston then?

Consent maybe?

Thank you

Wouldn’t it be that there are sometimes ‘facts’ that don’t make sense? That is to say, the facts beggar belief.

Exactly. As I said way upthread, as a jury member on a CSA case many years ago it was obvious to me that some people never think about it, can't believe a normal looking person would have done it, don't believe testimony from a child victim, and very very much want to give the benefit of the doubt. When we finally agreed a guilty vedict (after huge dissent in the jury room) the court heard a long list of prior offences.

Oh wow. You really do have to suspend your disbelief. I think we see things very much through our own prism and therefore can’t comprehend certain behaviours

Yes unless people have experience in their own life eg police, social workers, SA in their own families, then accusations like this are somewhat unbelievable.

I know it’s still early, but I can’t stop checking for a verdict.

Me too. I saw the email notification of this thread being updated and thought it might be about a verdict.

Is this the third day of deliberations?

I know there’s a lot of charges to get through.

Lots of separate charges for both defendants to deliberate on.

According to this Twitter account there is a verdict. He said he was at the court so maybe legit
https://x.com/davesharp59/status/2066526799106892120?s=46&t=YZfi6aVjV9DBAAnp-o0rOQ

JV is guilty of murder and JMF guilty of allowing Preston’s death
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgld0vywpmo

They were found guilty of all charges according the MEN live reports