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The Trial
The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: The Phone Footage
Season 17, Ep. 2
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In this episode Caroline and Liz have the latest in the case of Preston Davey - a baby the prosecution say was abused and murdered after he was adopted by two men - Jamie Varley and John McGowan Fazakerly. Today we’ve got evidence of the videos and pictures from Jamie Varley’s mobile phone. In many of them Preston is naked and in some Jamie Varley appears to be naked too. The prosecution say the jury will have to decide if they are cruel and indecent. We’ve also got the evidence from Jamie Varley’s colleagues who say he gave different accounts of how Preston broke his arm in the weeks before he died. And we hear that at one point the hospital did report some of Preston’s injuries to the police but no investigation was launched.
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Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull
Producer: Chelsey Ranore
Editor: Chelsey Ranore
Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.
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16. The Tragic Life of Preston Davey: The Verdicts
55:41||Season 17, Ep. 16Preston Davey was the victim of two sinister and wicked men, who “chose” him from an adoption website - then they both abused him and one of them murdered him. That’s what a jury have now decided. Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerly denied to the bitter end that they mistreated him, but the jury didn’t believe them. Today Caroline and Liz have got those verdicts in full and what happened as they were delivered - plus we can now bring you many of the details we haven’t been able to share up to now. Trigger warning - the details in this episode are distressing and relate to child abuse.The Trial is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive bonus episodes and complete access to our true-crime podcast collection. Visit thecrimedesk.com for more information.
15. The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: The Jury
24:30||Season 17, Ep. 15The fate of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley is now in the hands of the jury. As this trial comes to an end Caroline and Liz have the final arguments, the final pleas and the final instructions to the jury. The decisions on the guilt or innocence of the two men on trial is now up to them.Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullActors: Benny Fiddimore and Lucy RyanEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
14. The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: “A Tragedy Waiting to Happen”
31:49||Season 17, Ep. 14Preston Davey was in “peril at the hands of Jamie Varley” and John McGowan Fazakerly knew it - that’s what Peter Wright KC told the jury in this episode of the podcast with Caroline and Liz. As he closed his case, the prosecutor said Preston’s death was a “tragedy waiting to happen” - he said Jamie Varley had a sexual interest in children and he subjected Preston to a “litany of physical and psychological abuse” - and John McGowan Fazakerly could have foreseen what would happen. The danger Preston was in, Mr Wright said, was “blindingly obvious”. Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
13. The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: “Your worst fears”
39:13||Season 17, Ep. 13In this episode John McGowan-Fazakerley tells the jury how he turned detective to try to piece together what caused his adopted son, Preston Davey, to die. He said he knew now that his trust in Jamie Varley had been misplaced because he hadn't known the extent of the disturbing content on his phone. John McGowan-Fazakerley denied ever abusing or harming Preston - he said the allegations were abhorrent and vile - but he was asked repeatedly why traces of his semen were found on Preston's cot.Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
12. Update Episode - The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: John McGowan-Fazakerley
19:13||Season 17, Ep. 12In this update episode Caroline and Liz have the moment John McGowan-Fazakerley told his story. As he gave evidence for the first time, he said he and his partner Jamie Varley doted on their son. He also said he'd never seen Jamie Varley hit, punch, kick, poke, prod, smack or bite Preston and he said if he ever suspected his son was his danger, he would have grabbed him and run out of the front door to protect him.Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullActors: Lucy RyanEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
11. The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: Preston’s “brilliant life”
38:09||Season 17, Ep. 11In this episode Caroline and Liz have the cross-examination of Jamie Varley. He denies the prosecution’s claims that he abused Preston to punish him because he was struggling with being his main carer and resented his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, for working or being away.He also denies making up a ‘cock and bull story’ about how Preston died to cover his tracks.Instead he tells the jury that, although he made mistakes and was sometimes a little rough with Preston, he loved him and he had a brilliant life.He says he did not cause Preston’s bruises, or sexually abuse or murder him.Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullActors: Benny FiddimoreEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
10. Update Episode - The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: “Your Plaything”
07:13||Season 17, Ep. 10In this emergency update episode Caroline and Liz have the moment Jamie Varley’s story was picked apart. He was accused by the prosecutor of abusing Preston for his own amusement and gratification, of killing him, and then inventing a “cock and bull” story to cover it up.Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullActors: Benny FiddimoreEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
9. The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: Divided
31:20||Season 17, Ep. 9In this episode Caroline and Liz have more of the evidence from Jamie Varley as he continues to give evidence in his own defence. He told the jury he didn’t agree with the medical evidence that Preston died because his airway was deliberately obstructed. He also said he didn’t lie to his partner, John McGowan Fazakerley, about what happened on the day Preston died. He also said the couple hadn’t been given time to grieve the loss of their son. Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullActors: Benny Fiddimore and Lucy RyanEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
8. The Tragic Life Of Preston Davey: Jamie Varley
29:14||Season 17, Ep. 8In this episode Jamie Varley tells his story. As the defence case gets underway Jamie Varley entered the witness box to deny abusing or killing Preston Davey. He said he was the safest person in the world for Preston and being a teacher and a daddy was all he ever wanted. He also denied keeping pictures on his phone which were “trophies” of Preston being sexually abused. But he said he accepted looking back that some of the footage was inappropriate.Subscribe via thecrimedesk.comFollow us on TikTok @DailyMailCrimeEmail us thetrial@dailymail.comWhatsApp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz HullActors: Sarah Gee, Oliver Sykes, Benny FiddimoreEditor: Chelsey RanoreCreative Director: Caroline CheethamProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.