Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old teacher from Blackpool, UK, is on trial for the murder of his adopted son, 13-month-old Preston Davey. In his emotional testimony, Varley denied all allegations of murder and sexual abuse, stating he never harmed the child. He expressed feelings of shame regarding some images taken of Preston, which were shown in court, yet insisted these were not trophies of abuse. Varley described his relationship with Preston as loving, claiming the bond exceeded that he felt for his dog, Max. The prosecution alleges that Preston suffered 40 traumatic injuries before his death on July 27, 2023, with the cause determined to be acute upper airways obstruction, possibly due to smothering. Varley and his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, face multiple charges, including sexual assault and child cruelty. Varley explained that he had sent a text to his sister referring to Preston as 'dead meat' after a sleepless night, which he characterized as dramatic language. The trial is ongoing, with the jury tasked with evaluating the evidence presented against both defendants.