Murder-accused teacher 'begged medics to save baby', court hears

A teacher accused of the abuse and murder of a baby he adopted with his partner begged medics "don't let him die" and said "I effing killed him", a court has heard.

Jamie Varley, 37, rushed 13-month-old Preston Davey to Blackpool Victoria Hospital unconscious in his arms, a jury at Preston Crown Court was told.

Medics worked for nearly an hour to resuscitate the child until a decision was made that further intervention was futile and he was pronounced dead at 19:18 BST on 27 July 2023.

Varley, at the time a high school teacher, is accused of murdering the child and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, of allowing his death, with both accused of sexual abuse, which they deny.

• Warning: The following court evidence contains distressing information

During the four months the baby was under their adoption at their home in Blackpool, he was allegedly routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, was sexually abused and physically assaulted, with a post-mortem examination identifying 40 injuries, jurors have heard.

On the day Preston died, at around 18:25, paramedic Simon Crabb was outside the ambulance bay and saw Varley running with a "floppy" baby in his arms, and told him the child was not breathing.

Crabb said the other parent was present and was calmer, "but had a look of terror in his eyes".

He took the child and began giving mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths as he ran inside the A&E department and a "crash" team was scrambled.

Preston was given chest compressions and oxygen, while other medics rushed to help and specialist equipment readied.

Crabb said Varley was "hysterical" and told him he had left the baby in the bath while he had a shower and returned three to four minutes later.

He said Varley told him: "Don't let him die! Please don't let him die."

An emergency team worked for up to an hour on the child but he could not be revived, the court heard.

Dr Wendy Aubrey, a senior anaesthetist, had intubated Preston – that is inserted a small tube into his throat to get oxygen to his lungs.

She told the jury she did not see any water in the child's mouth or airways, adding: "There was no water in his lungs. I would have expected water in his lungs."

She said it was standard practice to invite family in to see their child under resuscitation and both defendants and Varley's mother were brought in to see Preston.

Aubrey continued: "I recall one dad quite 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.'"

After efforts to revive Preston had ended, Aubrey said the same parent, identified in the medical notes as Varley, then tried to give chest compressions and mouth to mouth resuscitation to Preston, despite the breathing tube being still in place.

She added: "I had to be really quite firm and tell him to stop because of what he was continuing trying to do to Preston."

Dr Anthony Kearns, lead consultant in the accident and emergency department who tried to save Preston, said he had been told the child had been pulled from water.

Kearns continued: "The child was completely dry. They had a nappy in situ, which appeared to be appropriately placed."

Four hours before the hospital visit, Varley had visited his mother's house.

Jurors were shown a video clip he had taken and sent to his co-accused, who was at work, of Preston being bounced on his grandmother's knee.

She is singing, "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" with Preston smiling and clapping his hands along to the song.

It is alleged after leaving her house to go home Varley subjected the child to a final sexual assault.

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

McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

The trial continues.

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