Baby was perfect, adoptive dad tells murder trial

A man accused of sexually abusing a baby who was allegedly murdered by his partner said adopting the child was all the couple had ever wanted.

John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of causing or allowing the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey, along with child cruelty and sexual assault.

His 37-year-old partner Jamie Varley is accused of murdering the baby boy in July 2023 in Blackpool and multiple offences of cruelty and child sexual abuse.

Both men deny all charges at Preston Crown Court.

• Warning: The following court evidence contains distressing information

During police interviews played to members of the jury, McGowan-Fazakerley said the pair had been together since 2018 and had wanted to start a family.

Preston was born in June 2022 and taken into care by Oldham Council, the court heard.

He was placed with foster parents at five days old, and remained with them for the first 10 months of his life.

After assessments and being familiarised with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, Preston was adopted by the couple and began living with them at their home in Blackpool on 1 April 2023.

The court heard McGowan-Fazakerley told detectives: "We felt like it was the right time for us.

"I have always wanted children, [Varley] has always wanted children... careers were in a really good place.

"We were settled. It was like everything we wanted has all come true, our little boy.

"It's all we ever, ever wanted - he was just so, so perfect.

"He was nine months old when he came to us.

"We were growing. We were learning."

Earlier, members of the jury heard Varley, who took a year off work as head of year at a high school to adopt a child, told friends he was struggling with a lack of sleep because the baby was regularly waking up in the night.

He allegedly told others he had "dark thoughts" about the child and described the baby as "just annoying".

Preston was admitted to hospital three times in just under four months after being adopted.

Prosecutors allege the baby was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, was sexually abused and physically assaulted, and suffered 40 traumatic injuries.

He died in hospital on 27 July 2023, having suffered a collapse and cardiac arrest, allegedly following a sexual assault by Varley.

Varley told police he had briefly left the child in the bath and when he returned he was off his bath seat and submerged.

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 photographs or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photograph of a child to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photograph.

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 Tuesday.

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