Jamie Varley, 37, adopted Preston Davey when he was nine months old with partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32

A high school teacher has been found guilty of the murder and Sєxual abuse of a 13-month-old baby he treated as a “plaything”.

Jamie Varley, 37, adopted Preston Davey, at nine months old with his partner, ex-public schoolboy and financial sales manager, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32.

Preston had been taken from his mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, by an emergency care order by Oldham Council.

Ms Davey, aged 14 at the time, had been jailed for the “unspeakably wicked” murder of a frail pensioner in 1998 and in and out of prison since then.

Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley were approved for adoption and at nine months old Preston began living at their home in Blackpool, Lancs in April 2023.

But in the just under four months he was in their care, he was routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, Sєxually abused and physically ᴀssaulted, suffering 40 traumatic injuries, the defendant’s trial at Preston Crown Court has heard.

Following an eight-week trial a jury spent around 14 hours considering verdicts before it returned to court to deliver verdicts.

Varley of was found guilty of murder, two counts of ᴀssault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, Sєxual ᴀssault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent pH๏τos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent pH๏τo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent pH๏τo.

McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of allowing the death of a child, two counts of child cruelty and one count of the Sєxual ᴀssault of a child.

Varley stood in the dock and put his hands to his face in shock as the guilty verdicts were read, before collapsing to his knees, wretching and vomiting.

His co-accused made no reaction, while McGowan-Fazakerley’s father shook his head.

Preston’s mother and grandmother burst into tears, sobbing throughout as the 29 guilty verdicts were returned.

Both defendants will not be sentenced on Monday, and Mr Justice Turner said he will pᴀss sentence on Thursday.