Teacher accused of baby murder told police 'I will fight you til the day I die'

Warning: Some readers may find this story upsetting.

A teacher accused of murdering his adopted baby angrily denied harming or sexually abusing him when confronted by police, a court has heard.

Jamie Varley, 37, is accused of killing 13-month-old Preston Davey, and faces 25 further charges of sexually and physically assaulting the child.

The defendant's video interview with detectives was shown to the jury at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday, in which he was heard telling officers: "I have not done it. I will fight you 'til the day I die."

His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is also accused of sexual assault, of causing or allowing the death of the child, and four other offences.

Both men, from Blackpool, deny all charges.

The baby was rushed to a Blackpool hospital on 27 July 2023 by the defendants after an alleged final sexual assault by Varley. The couple had adopted the child four months previously.

Doctors worked for nearly an hour to resuscitate the child, but could not save him.

Varley said he had left the child alone in the bath for three or four minutes before he returned and that the baby had drowned.

However, during the police interview, officers presented him with the post-mortem examination findings of Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour.

Dr Armour concluded Preston had not drowned but was the victim of "abusive trauma, non-accidental injuries and sexual abuse".

In the footage, the detective tells Varley that the pathologist also found the injuries to the baby suggest he was sexually assaulted shortly before his death.

"You are absolutely wrong," Varley replies.

The post-mortem examination also found bruises to Preston's forehead, back of throat, mouth and bottom, as well as bleeding in the lungs.

When asked to explain the bruising found, Varley responds with "no comment".

It is alleged that the baby was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused, physically assaulted and had indecent images and videos taken of him.

His cause of death was given as an upper airway obstruction, leading to his collapse by a deliberate act of smothering, or an object or objects inserted into his mouth.

"I'm going to suggest you have killed Preston," the officer says in the footage.

The defendant, raising his voice, replies: "I have not done it. I will fight you 'til the day I die. I know you are wrong. I have not done it."

Earlier, the officer put to Varley the series of images and videos taken of the baby as evidence of alleged cruelty or indecency.

They include one video lasting 14 minutes and 31 seconds where Preston is left alone in a bath.

Varley said he set his phone up to record and was on the landing out of sight "to see how he reacts to his own company".

The officer asks Varley: "How do you explain that, Jamie? He's slipped, whimpering, I would describe him as distressed. Why not go to comfort him?

"Have you left him in the bath because you are fed up with him?"

Varley replies: "I was keeping an eye on him. He's not distressed. There was no intent to hurt him."

When asked about intimate videos and photos of the child found on his phone, which prosecutors allege are indecent images, Varley responds: "Unlike you, I don't think about his genitals 24/7.

"You are making a mountain out of a molehill. It's totally innocent, it's ridiculous. You have got it now as if I'm a bloody pervert.

"That's your job I guess."

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Last week, the court was shown footage of Varley and his mother in the hospital's bereavement room, where he was described as "hysterical" as medics asked him to come to the child's bedside.

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 was adjourned until Wednesday morning.

(c) Sky News 2026: Teacher accused of baby murder told police 'I will fight you til the day I die'