Trial stops for a couple accused of hurting a baby
Introduction
The trial of Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley has stopped. They are accused of killing and hurting a 13-month-old boy they adopted. The judge sent the jury home on the fourth day. A new jury will come later.
Main Body
The trial started at Preston Crown Court. There were six men and six women on the jury. On the fourth day, the judge told the jury the trial could not continue. He thanked them for their work. He said it was not their fault. The reason for stopping the trial is a secret. The two men adopted a baby boy named Preston Davey in April 2023. Social workers from Oldham Council said the men were good parents. But the police say that for four months the men hurt the baby many times. The baby had 40 injuries inside and outside his body. He went to the hospital three times. One time he had a broken arm. The men gave reasons for the injuries, but the hospital did not call the police. On July 27, 2023, one man came home and saw the other man trying to help the baby. The baby''s heart had stopped. They drove him to the hospital. The baby died. One man told police he left the baby in a bath and found him drowning. But doctors said the baby died because someone covered his mouth or put things in his mouth. One man says he did not do any of the 25 bad things. The other man says he did not do any of the 5 bad things. The trial was going to last six to eight weeks. It will start again with a new jury on the next Monday.
Conclusion
The first trial stopped because of a secret legal reason. A new trial will start with a new jury. The two men still say they did not do the bad things.