Two gay men, one a former teacher, will go on trial in the UK next week, charged in relation to the death of a 13-month-old baby boy, Preston Davey, in 2023.
The pair were in the process of adopting the child when he was brought to Victoria Hospital in Blackpool on the 27th of July that year.
The former teacher, Jamie Varley, 36, of Grimsargh in Lancashire, has been charged with the murder of the baby, in addition to a series of serious sexual and child cruelty offences.
John McGowan-Fazakerley, 31, of Grimsargh in Lancashire, is charged with allowing the death of a child, in addition to child cruelty and sexual offences.
Varley is charged with one count of murder, one count of manslaughter, two counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13, Five counts of cruelty to a person under 16, one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm, One count of sexual Assault of a child under 13, ten counts of taking indecent photographs of a child, One count of distributing indecent photographs of a child, Two counts of possession of an indecent pseudo image of a child, One count of possession of an extreme pornographic image.
McGowan-Fazakerley is charged with one count of allowing the death of a child, two counts of cruelty to a person under 16, and one count of sexual Assault of a child under 13.
The trial is set to commence on the 14th of April next.
After the men were charged last year, Suzanne Llewellyn, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service North West, said, “The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with Lancashire Police following a detailed police investigation, to review the available evidence and advise on the appropriate charges.
“We recognise the profoundly distressing nature of the alleged crimes; however, we remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are now active, and they have a right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings,” she concluded.