UK: Snapchat Messages and Phone Videos Help Police Convict 2 Men Who S*xually Assaulted and Killed Baby Boy in England
Two Blackpool men, Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley, were convicted in England for the murder and s*xual assault of their 13-month-old adoptive son, Preston. Phone forensics and Snapchat messages exposed a harrowing four-month pattern of abuse. The child died from an airway obstruction, and the couple will be sentenced on June 18.
Two men have been found guilty at Preston Crown Court in connection with the murder and severe abuse of their 13-month-old adoptive son, Preston Davey. Jamie Varley, 37, a secondary school teacher, was convicted of murder, two counts of s*xual assault of a minor under 13, inflicting grievous bodily harm, child cruelty, and multiple charges related to the possession and distribution of indecent images of a child.
His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, a financial sales manager, was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, child cruelty, and s*xual assault. UK Shocker: Police Officer Caught on Camera Receiving Oral S*x From Unidentified Woman in Shropshire, Arrested.
The Fatal Incident and Medical Findings
The conviction follows an investigation that began on July 27, 2023, when the couple rushed the unresponsive toddler to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in cardiac arrest. Medical personnel attempted resuscitation for more than an hour, but Preston was pronounced dead at 7:20 PM. One of the parents initially informed medical staff that he had left the child unattended in a bathtub and later returned to find him drowning. However, a post-mortem examination contradicted the drowning claim, determining that the actual cause of death was acute upper airway obstruction, consistent with smothering or an object being inserted into the child's mouth.
The forensic examination also revealed that Preston had sustained approximately 40 traumatic injuries during the four months he was in the couple's care. The findings detailed 30 external bruises alongside significant internal bruising to his mouth, throat, anus, bowel, and bladder.
Timeline of Abuse and Digital Evidence
According to police records, Preston was placed into emergency foster care five days after his birth and spent his first nine months described by health professionals as "happy and healthy". An adoption panel approved his placement with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley on March 23, 2023, and he spent his first night at their Blackpool residence on March 31. Evidence presented during the seven-week trial showed that within weeks of the placement, Varley sent digital messages to a friend stating that he found the infant annoying. Investigators subsequently recovered indecent photographs and videos of the child from Varley’s phone, some dating back to April 2023. The prosecution outlined a pattern of non-physical and physical harm. In video recordings found by police, Varley filmed himself intentionally keeping the child awake and spinning him at excessive speeds on a playground teacup ride while the infant showed clear distress. In May 2023, Varley took indecent photos and an indecent video of Preston, which he shared with McGowan-Fazakerley via Snapchat.
The trial also established that Preston had been taken to the hospital in the months leading up to his death for various issues, including breathing difficulties, a seizure, head bruising, and a fractured arm. Data recovered from the mobile devices further revealed that Preston was s*xually assaulted by both men on July 23, 2023. On the afternoon of his death, July 27, Varley recorded an additional video showing the infant on a bed experiencing severe respiratory distress. Prosecutors proved that the child had been subjected to a physical assault earlier that day, which caused the fatal airway obstruction. UK Shocker: Teacher Banned After Having Sex With Colleague Multiple Times Inside Art Room and Cupboards During Class Hours at All-Girls Grammar School in Gloucestershire.
Official Reactions to the Incident
Following the verdicts, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows of the Lancashire Force Major Investigation Team condemned the actions of the two defendants. “Almost from day one, they set about abusing Preston and making his short life a harrowing tale of misery and pain. It was this abuse that ultimately led to Preston’s death," Fallows said. “For the first nine months of his life Preston was a happy and healthy child but by the end he was a broken shell. This was due to the sordid and wicked acts of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley," he added. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley remain in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Thursday, June 18.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 16, 2026 07:47 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
