The trial of former teacher Jamie Varley and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley over the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey has taken a devastating new turn, with investigators suggesting that a distressing 14-minute video of the toddler left alone in a bath was merely the tip of a far darker pattern of alleged abuse captured inside the couple’s Blackpool home.

Courtroom tension reportedly became almost unbearable as prosecution hints emerged of additional unseen files recovered from Varley’s devices — material prosecutors believe reveals systematic ill-treatment, sexual abuse and cruelty in the months leading up to the little boy’s death in July 2023.

Preston, who had been placed with the couple for adoption just four months earlier, died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital after being rushed there in cardiac and respiratory arrest. What prosecutors describe as “routine” abuse has shocked jurors and the public alike, turning what should have been a loving adoptive home into the centre of one of Lancashire’s most disturbing criminal cases.

Daily Mail can reveal the full harrowing details emerging at Preston Crown Court, the digital evidence at the heart of the prosecution, and the devastating questions now surrounding how a vulnerable toddler slipped through the system.

The 14-Minute Bath Video That Shocked Jurors

One of the most chilling pieces of evidence shown to the jury is a 14-minute-31-second video recovered from Jamie Varley’s phone. In it, young Preston is allegedly left alone in the bath while Varley claims he stepped out onto the landing “to see how he reacts to his own company.”

Prosecutors say the footage shows the baby slipping, whimpering and appearing distressed. Varley has told officers he set up the recording deliberately. Defence accounts insist it was innocent monitoring, but the prosecution paints it as part of a pattern of neglect and cruelty.

This clip, police say, was recorded on the day Preston was taken to hospital. Yet it is far from the only disturbing recording.

‘Additional Unseen Clips’ and a ‘Darker Pattern’

Sources close to the investigation have indicated that prosecutors believe the 14-minute bath video was only the beginning. Multiple other images and videos allegedly recovered from the defendants’ devices are said to show Preston naked, in vulnerable situations, and subject to treatment that goes far beyond normal parenting.

These include alleged indecent recordings, photos shared between the men with inappropriate comments, and a separate Snapchat video taken around 1 hour 45 minutes before Preston was rushed to hospital. In that clip, the toddler is reportedly seen lying on a bed struggling to breathe — footage officers described in interviews as “horrible” and “distressing.”

Varley has claimed he could not recall filming the breathing video and suggested Preston was having a seizure. He maintains he left the boy alone in the bath briefly, returned to find him partially submerged, and that the death was a tragic accident.

Post-mortem examinations reportedly found no water in Preston’s lungs, casting serious doubt on the drowning explanation, along with more than 40 internal and external injuries, including bruises and a human bite mark.

The Final Hours: From Home to Hospital Horror

On July 27, 2023, Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley (who reportedly called the child Elijah) rushed Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Bodycam footage shown in court captured Varley in a highly emotional state — collapsing, wailing for his own mother, pleading with doctors, and reportedly saying phrases such as “It’s my fault” and “I’m going to hell.”

Medics fought for nearly an hour to save the toddler but could not. He was pronounced dead that evening.

Varley, 37, a former secondary school teacher, denies murder, sexual assault of a child, multiple counts of making and distributing indecent images, cruelty to a child, and other serious charges. His partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, denies allowing the death of a child and sexual abuse offences. Both men deny all wrongdoing.

A ‘Routine’ of Alleged Abuse in Just Four Months

Preston Davey had been placed with the couple in April 2023 as part of the adoption process. Prosecutors allege that in the short time he was in their care on Staining Avenue in Blackpool, he was “routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted.”

Evidence presented includes indecent images and videos allegedly created and sometimes shared, physical injuries inconsistent with normal accidents, and a pattern of behaviour that prosecutors say escalated towards the fatal day.

Varley has denied abusing the child, telling police in interviews that Preston “bruised easily” and insisting “he has not been abused.”

Questions Over Safeguarding and Adoption Process

The case has raised painful questions about the adoption and safeguarding systems. How a child could allegedly suffer such extensive injuries in a short period while under monitoring is now under intense scrutiny both inside and outside the courtroom.

Preston’s biological family and the wider public have been left devastated by the emerging details. The little boy, described in earlier innocent home videos as watching TV in a bouncer or playing, had his short life cut tragically short.

Courtroom Tension and Public Outrage

As more digital evidence is introduced, the atmosphere at Preston Crown Court has grown increasingly heavy. Jurors have had to watch deeply upsetting material, while Varley’s police interviews — in which he denies the allegations and insists he will “fight” them — have been replayed.

Outside the courtroom, the case has sparked widespread anger and calls for a full review of adoption vetting, especially for same-sex couples and individuals with access to children through teaching roles. True-crime communities and parents online have shared heartbreak over the “unseen clips” reportedly still being examined.

What Happens Next?

The trial continues, with both men maintaining their innocence. The jury must weigh the extensive digital evidence, medical testimony, and the defendants’ accounts to reach verdicts on the multiple serious charges.

For Preston Davey, a baby who should have been protected and cherished after being placed for adoption, the evidence presented suggests a home filled with cameras that allegedly captured his suffering rather than his joy.

Prosecutors say the 14-minute bath video was only the beginning — and that the full picture painted by the devices reveals a far darker reality behind closed doors.

Preston’s brief life has ended in unimaginable tragedy. As the court process unfolds, his story is becoming a stark reminder of the need for rigorous safeguarding when the most vulnerable children are placed in new homes.