Former teacher guilty of sexually abusing and murdering baby boy he wanted to adopt - CPS

[IwantToRetire]

Distressing content
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A former teacher has been found guilty of sexually abusing and murdering a baby boy that he planned to adopt.

Jamie Varley, 37, was convicted at Preston Crown Court of murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to 13-month-old Preston Davey.

John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.

Varley was in the process of adopting baby Preston (also known as Elijah) with his partner McGowan-Fazakerley. Just four months after being placed with the couple, Preston was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Sadly, Preston could not be saved.

Varley tried falsely claiming that Preston had accidentally drowned in a bath, but prosecutors were able to prove that his injuries were consistent with his airways being obstructed.

The evidence presented by the prosecution proved that in the final months of Preston’s life, he was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted – suffering more than 40 separate injuries.

CPS statement continues at https://www.cps.gov.uk/north-west/news/former-teacher-guilty-sexually-abusing-and-murdering-baby-boy-he-wanted-adopt

More from a BBC report - also distressing:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyp77l79e9o

I thought there was a thread about this, but cant find one. But sorry if a duplicate.

I really only wanted to post out of respect for this poor baby and the horror of his short life.

RIP

Guidelines/ continued monitoring.

Sorry, did you confuse "How should they be different?" with "Why should they be different?"

How should they be different?

A lack of people seeing this child doesn't seem to have been the issue, he was seen a lot. Multiple doctors, nurses, health visitors, social workers, friends and colleagues saw him over the 4 months.

What’s DSL?

I just can’t get my head around this. Ever.

Anyone who wants to adop a child needs all laptops seized for one.

I'm hoping the school that employed him is having a look at itself and he was likely grooming pupils there

that’s so distressing

Also, and there is a thread on this, the hospital that the kid was taken to (Blackpool Victoria) when he died had a rape / murder on its stroke ward that is still unsolved

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyq9x8w2zxo

Which might play a part in the multiple missed chances to spot something amiss previously.

ETA: thread on the case

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5404343-serious-life-ending-sexual-assault-on-a-stroke-ward

Firstly, that fucking basic safeguarding knowledge that under 5s are more vulnerable. I’m furious that was missed across the board. All of them. Under 1/ not in nursery especially vulnerable. At least when a baby goes to nursery an adult has to change their nappy etc. (of course there are horrific cases where abusers have taken advantage of this also.)

personally I think there should simply be more oversight, visits, and observations. It sounds like SW should have more training in certain aspects of paediatrics

Schools now spend enormous amounts of time recording observed niggles and phoning parents. We note bruises and record it, phone home to ask what happened etc.

Of course it will take more time and money.

Hopefully more recommendations should come out of a review.

That’s awful

I read the impact statements from the foster parents. They were really Preston's parents, not his birth mother or his biological dad, given that he was with them from very small until he was 9 months, and they had done a wonderful job with him. I can't imagine what it must be like for them to have other foster children and then hand them over for adoption too.

Ive said similar to others recently.

DSL at my son’s school disappeared suddenly and apparently under investigation for inappropriate images. A teacher at the school said all the staff felt he was creepy and inappropriate with girls. PE teacher.

there is also CLEARLY an issue with who he was from their pov.

a teacher, DSL. Judge said that his previous good character clouded judgement. And there are very big questions to be asked about whether staff were worried about being accused of homophobia.

DSL? Sorry I'm a bit behind. Is that something Support Learning?

designated safeguarding lead

The person who is specifically trained to handle all the school safeguarding incidents. They will have access to more information about children who have specific safeguarding concerns. They must be highly trained.

Thanks.

God yes it's classic example

“Part of the child safeguarding practice review into Preston's death will focus on whether any opportunities were missed in his care before his death.”
bbc

clearly there were

Imagine raising a baby from birth to nine months old, and then four months later they've been murdered after being abused, just four months later. I don't think they'll ever get over it.

One of the reasons I wouldnt cope as a foster parent. Absolutely heartbreaking.

I posted about this upthread but Blackpool has nearly three times the national average of 'looked after' children. I don't know if this would include children adopted from a different LA. It's also one of the most economically deprived areas in the country. I suspect the SWs there are run off their feet and burned out. They'll also be trying to keep track of children who are still with their parents. Varley probably couldn't have lived in a better area for his behaviour to have been overlooked. The 'little cry' comment by one after the baby's arm was broken is utterly heartbreaking. That poor child.

I don't want his murderer to come to serious harm in prison. I don't care if it's something he lives in fear of though. Ian Huntley, the Soham murderer, was killed by Anthony Russell, a triple killer. One of his victims was pregnant, he raped and strangled her not long after she'd shown him the scans of her unborn baby. It upsets me that Googling him brings up first that he killed Huntley, like he's some deliverer of justice, not that he's just as evil and killed because that's what he does.

One of the short videos of Varley shows him in the hospital having found out that wee Preston hadn't survived and he begs to be killed. Presumably he's so upset because he's just realised he is going to be in a lot of trouble. I hope he lives a long time.

Whole life tariff for the main one, 25 years for the other. Excellent. I hope he suffers every single day and lives a long, long, time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrx8gj112mo

There’s so much to wonder and rage about.
Were they at any point hoping to love and cherish a child? Did they simply want something to abuse? How the fuck did they think this was going to end? At the best level, where was their self preservation?!

The poor wee chap.

I don’t know why you think that. The rumour is that Ian Watkins was murdered over a drug debt, not by some avenger (himself a murdered and rapist) 🙄

It said on the news that Varley came to resent the baby because it was Interfering with his sleeping patterns. Really it was that base. He wanted some sort of cute accessory