Blackpool teacher had 'harmful thoughts' towards baby, trial told

A teacher accused of the sexual abuse and murder of his adopted son told a work colleague of "harmful thoughts" towards the baby, a court has heard. Janet Gee said 37-year-old Jamie Varley, with whom she worked at a high school, told her he was struggling to cope with looking after baby Preston Davey. Varley told police the 13-month-old boy accidentally drowned in a bath, but the jury at Preston Crown Court has heard a post mortem examination discovered the child had suffered 40 injuries. Varley is accused of killing and abusing Preston, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of allowing his death and assaulting him. Both men deny the charges. Gee said that on one occasion Varley arrived at her house with the baby, very flustered and agitated. Preston had a blue plaster cast on his arm. She told the jury: "He told me how he was having harmful thoughts towards the baby in terms of drowning or suffocation. "He was very quick to say this was something he was not going to act upon. "I believed him, I have children of my own and sometimes your thoughts go to dark places." Varley told her he had told the same to his employer and he was having welfare home visits arranged