CCTV shows murderer Jamie Varley running into hospital cradling his adopted son Preston Davey who was in cardiac arrest after months of torment.

Preston Davey, 13-months-old, died in July 2023 at the hands of teacher Jamie Varley, 37, who was found guilty of sexually abusing and murdering the tot.

Varley, from Blackpool, told police Preston had accidentally drowned in a bath, but a post-mortem examination revealed 40 injuries.

Partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was found guilty of sexual assault, child cruelty and allowing the death of a child.

Footage released after the trial shows Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley arriving at Blackpool Victoria Hospital at around 6.30pm on July 27 2023.

They abandon the car and Varley can be seen carrying lifeless Preston in his arms. A clip taken seconds later shows a paramedic running into the emergency department carrying Preston, who was unconscious and in cardiac arrest.

Little Preston died just under an hour later and the video shows some of his final moments.

Karen Tonge of the Crown Prosecution Service said it was “one of the most shocking and horrific cases” she has ever dealt with.

She said: “Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley had a responsibility to care for and protect baby Preston. They violated that responsibility and 13-month-old Preston was abused with sickening ease.

“It is difficult to comprehend how the very people who should have loved him could inflict such awful physical and sexual harm on an innocent child.

“No child should have to go through what Preston went through in the last four months of his short life and I cannot begin to imagine the toll this has taken on those that loved Preston. My thoughts remain with them all.”

The couple, from Grimsargh in Lancashire, were in the process of adopting Preston, who had been placed with the couple four months prior.

Preston’s mother, Sarah Davey, now 42, had been jailed at the age of 14 for the murder of a pensioner in 1998.

Preston was placed with foster parents aged five days old, but when he was nine months old he was moved to live with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley who were approved for adoption in April 2023.

During his four months with then he was ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted. His injuries included bruising to his mouth, throat, bowel and bladder along with a healing fracture to his left arm which was deemed to be non-accidental.

Preston had been in the sole care of Varley the day he died, until McGowan-Fazakerley returned from work and the couple took the 13-month old to hospital.

It was reported Varley stood in the dock and put his hands to his face as the guilty verdicts were read out, before collapsing to his knees and vomiting.

McGowan-Fazakerley did not react, it was said.

The pair will be sentenced at a later date at Preston Crown Court.