In a dramatic day of evidence at Preston Crown Court, 42-year-old Jamie Varley sat stone-faced in the dock and repeatedly denied every single one of the 33 serious charges levelled against him — including multiple counts of grievous bodily harm, assault, false imprisonment and controlling coercive behaviour.

Despite prosecutors laying out what they described as “overwhelming” evidence of a prolonged campaign of violence that left victims with a shocking total of 40 documented injuries, Varley responded with the same cold, emotionless phrase time and time again: “That is not true.”

The repeated denial, delivered without hesitation or variation during a full day of intense cross-examination, left victims’ families in tears in the public gallery and stunned legal observers who have followed the case since Varley’s arrest last year.

The Case That Has Shocked Lancashire

Jamie Varley, a burly former warehouse supervisor from Preston, stands accused of a catalogue of violent offences spanning more than three years against multiple victims, including two former partners, a former colleague, and a neighbour.

Prosecutors allege he used intimidation, physical beatings, and psychological control to dominate those around him, leaving a trail of broken bones, bruises, lacerations and emotional devastation.

The 33 charges include 12 counts of actual bodily harm, eight of grievous bodily harm with intent, five of false imprisonment, and several linked to controlling or coercive behaviour — a relatively new offence designed to protect victims of domestic abuse.

In total, medical experts have documented 40 separate injuries across the victims, ranging from black eyes and split lips to fractured ribs, a broken jaw, and one victim left with permanent nerve damage to her arm after allegedly being stamped on repeatedly.

Varley, dressed in a dark suit and tie, showed little emotion as he entered his not guilty pleas to every count when the trial opened last week. But yesterday’s cross-examination by lead prosecutor Eleanor Hargreaves KC marked the most intense day yet.

“That Is Not True” – The Defendant’s Only Response

For more than six hours, Hargreaves methodically presented photographs of injuries, medical reports, text messages, and witness statements. Time after time, Varley was asked whether he had carried out the alleged attacks.

His response was robotic and unwavering: “That is not true.”

When shown graphic images of a former partner’s bruised and swollen face, he replied calmly: “That is not true.”

When questioned about allegations he had locked a victim in a bedroom for 14 hours without food or water, he answered: “That is not true.”

Even when confronted with CCTV footage allegedly showing him dragging a victim by her hair in a supermarket car park, Varley stuck rigidly to his script: “That is not true.”

Legal experts watching from the press bench described the performance as “remarkable in its consistency” but “chilling in its detachment.”

One senior barrister, speaking anonymously, told Daily Mail: “I’ve seen many defendants deny charges, but the mechanical repetition of that single phrase was extraordinary. It seemed almost rehearsed.”

Varley’s defence counsel, Michael Donovan QC, has argued that his client is the victim of a “concerted campaign of lies” by disgruntled ex-partners seeking revenge and financial gain.

Victims’ Families Speak of Their Ordeal

Outside the court, one victim’s mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke down as she described the impact on her daughter.

“My girl was a confident, outgoing young woman before she met him,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “Now she barely leaves the house. She has nightmares about him coming back. The injuries healed, but the fear never goes away. How can he sit there and say none of it is true?”

Another victim, a 29-year-old woman who claims Varley assaulted her on multiple occasions during a 14-month relationship, told friends she felt “sick” listening to his blanket denials.

The court heard claims that Varley once punched her so hard in the stomach that she needed emergency hospital treatment. On another occasion, he allegedly held her head under cold water in the bath until she thought she would drown.

Prosecutors presented phone records showing hundreds of abusive messages, including threats to “make her disappear” if she ever left him.

Varley’s ex-colleague, a man in his 40s, alleges he was attacked after confronting Varley about his behaviour towards female staff at the warehouse where they both worked. The alleged assault left him with a fractured eye socket and ongoing headaches.

Inside the Life of the Accused

Jamie Varley grew up in Preston’s Deepdale area and attended local schools before working in logistics and warehousing. Neighbours described him as a “quiet but intimidating” man who kept to himself but was known for his short temper.

One former neighbour told Daily Mail: “You didn’t cross Jamie. There were rumours about how he treated his girlfriends, but no one wanted to get involved. He had this way of looking at you that made you back off.”

Friends from his younger days painted a different picture — a keen amateur boxer and gym enthusiast who could be “charismatic” when he wanted to be. However, several ex-partners have come forward since his arrest to allege a pattern of jealousy, control and sudden explosive violence.

The court heard allegations that Varley monitored one victim’s phone, banned her from seeing friends and family, and once smashed her laptop when she tried to message her sister.

Financial records presented in court allegedly show Varley spent thousands of pounds on gambling apps during the period of the alleged offences, adding to claims of financial abuse.

The Investigation That Took Years

Lancashire Police launched Operation Shadow after multiple victims came forward independently in 2023. Detectives say they were struck by the similarities in the accounts despite the women not knowing each other.

Forensic officers recovered deleted messages, medical records spanning years, and even blood-stained clothing from one alleged attack.

A key moment in the prosecution case came when a former partner agreed to wear a recording device during a meeting with Varley after his arrest. In the recording, played in court, he allegedly warned her not to testify, saying “things will get nasty” if she did.

Varley denies making any threats.

Judge Thomas Harrington has warned the jury to focus only on the evidence and not be swayed by emotion, describing the case as “complex and serious.”

Community Reaction in Preston

The trial has gripped the city of Preston, with locals expressing disbelief at the scale of the allegations.

At a nearby café popular with court staff and visitors, conversations repeatedly turned to Varley’s calm denials.

“It’s frightening,” said one woman who knew one of the victims. “Forty injuries. Thirty-three charges. And he just sits there saying it’s not true like it’s nothing.”

Support groups for domestic abuse victims have attended the trial daily, holding quiet vigils outside the court building with placards reading “Believe Victims” and “No More Silence.”

Lancashire Police’s domestic violence unit has reported a 28% increase in calls since the case hit the headlines, with campaigners hoping the publicity will encourage more victims to come forward.

What Happens Next in This High-Stakes Trial

The trial, expected to last up to six weeks, continues tomorrow with further cross-examination and the start of the defence case.

Varley is expected to give evidence himself later in proceedings, where he will face further questioning about his blanket denials.

If convicted on all or most counts, he could face decades behind bars, with sentencing guidelines suggesting a possible tariff of 20 years or more given the multiple victims and severity of injuries.

Victims’ families are praying for justice after years of fear.

One mother summed up the mood outside court: “We just want the truth to come out. No one should be able to inflict 40 injuries and think they can get away with saying ‘that is not true’.”

Daily Mail will continue to bring you every development from Preston Crown Court as this disturbing case unfolds — from the remaining witness testimonies to the jury’s verdict and the final reckoning for Jamie Varley.

In a city still reeling from the details emerging in Courtroom Number 3, one question echoes louder than Varley’s repeated denials: How many more victims might still be out there, suffering in silence?