'Teacher' charged with murdering baby he was adopting

A teacher has appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting and murdering a 13-month-old baby boy whom he was in the process of adopting.

Jamie Varley, believed to be a secondary school teacher, is also accused of cruelty offences and indecent image charges relating to Preston Davey. Preston was to be adopted by Varley, 36, and the co-accused John McGowan-Fazakerley, 31.

Varley only spoke to confirm his identity during the brief hearing at Lancaster Magistrates' Court on Friday. He is accused of murder, two counts of sexual assault of a boy under 13, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and five counts of child cruelty.

Varley is also accused of 10 counts of taking indecent photographs of a child, two counts of possessing indecent images of a child, one count of distributing an indecent image of a child, and one count of possessing an extreme image. Read more on Sky News:Why did Israel attack Iran?What are Iran's military capabilities?Black box recovered from India plane crash Varley was remanded in custody until Monday, when he will appear before a judge at a crown court.

Following the brief hearing, his co-accused, McGowan-Fazakerley, was also brought into the dock. McGowan-Fazakerley is charged with allowing the death of a child, as well as two counts of child cruelty and one count of sexual assault of a child.

He was also remanded in custody. The charges for both men span between March and July 2023 - and relate to Preston Davey.

Police began investigating after officers were called to Blackpool Victoria Hospital around 7.15pm on 27 July 2023, shortly after Preston was brought in unresponsive. He died in the hospital not long afterwards.

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, who both lived in Grimsargh near Preston, will appear at Preston Crown Court on Monday..