UK court finds man guilty of sexual abuse and murder of adopted baby

A schoolteacher described as a “serial manipulator and a serial liar” has been found guilty of sexually abusing and murdering a baby he adopted.Jamie Varley, 37, of Staining, Lancashire, had denied the murder of 13-month-old Preston Davey and 25 other offences but was found guilty after an eight-week trial.Preston Davey died as a result of acute upper airways obstruction. Photograph: X/Lancashire policeThe head of year at a secondary school had adopted Preston with his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, a financial sales manager, who was found guilty of allowing the death of a child. The baby died as a result of acute upper airways obstruction by either smothering or an object or objects being inserted into his mouth.Jamie Varley. Photograph: Lancashire policeHis death came at the end of four months during which he was “routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted”, the prosecutor Peter Wright KC had told a trial at Preston crown court.DCI Andy Fellows of Lancashire-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="146892" data-entity-type="organization">Lancashire police, the senior investigating officer, said Varley had shown himself to be “a serial manipulator and a serial liar”.More details soon …