Preston Davey Trial

[Upintheair83]

Even just this is so saddening to me the image of that poor lady crying all day wondering should she have said or done something differently. Desperately wanting the chance to gently hand over the baby she had raised through all the hard young baby times God love her, I hope she's doing OK

I keep thinking about her too....she must be completetly broken and traumatised. I can't imagine how she must feel- even though none of it is her fault, she must carry so much guilt. Always thinking 'what if?' And yet she did everything right, and she should never ever blame herself. Its enough to make you go loopy....and it's people like that this lady that we need more of, and yet its enough to stop her fostering again. My heart really breaks for her she obviously loved Preston so much.

 

[Emsie]

The amount of baths Preston had was an immediate red flag to me and I believe it was easy access to abuse.
Maybe I'm a grub but I wouldn't bath my baby again if I'd already done it and he was sick. He wasn't a newborn, i would just sit him on my lap and clean him from the sink. 2x baths per day is a lot of effort when you're knackered caring for a baby all day.

Ps. We had to give our social media handles when we adopted. I don't know what you can find out from them, but it does seem like some checks are done.

 

[maytoseptember]

I can imagine them saying the foster carer is being pushy and not letting them form their relationship with Preston as an excuse for not seeing them. Given how fawning the professionals have been of them the SW probably would have accepted that without question and dismissed the FC concerns.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I bet there were whispers amongst the team that foster mum was overstepping the mark, demanding access to Preston, and why couldn’t she let Preston be now he was with his “proper” family, how dare she insinuate that there might be something amiss with the two dads, she’s probably stirring the pot because she’s a homophobe, and so on.

 

[PaddyDomino]

Because he was cool, calm, collected JV during the adoption process, a man in control. A man who knew he had others seemingly eating from the palm of his hand.

By the time of the hospital he was a desperate man in a state of extreme panic for himself. I dont think it was acting as such, I think he was in a complete meltdown. His brain was so disregilulated he was randomly shouting out things. I dont think it was acting, more leakage he couldn't control.

Yes, this is what I think, he was genuinely panicking in the hospital because he knew what he'd done and he knew he was caught.
It's so interesting what you say about leakage because he says I'm done, I'm going to hell, I effing killed him, he even says that he's going to be done for child neglect and that is exactly what his initial arrest was for.
He's literally telling us what he's done and what is going to happen!
I remember there was an FBI statement analyst called Peter Hyatt, he used to analyse the interviews and statements of Madeleine McCann's parents, and he used to say if a person tells you what they've done, believe them!
Another thing I remember him saying is that there are red flags in statements, for example, the number three is the liar's number and if it appears a lot in statements it's a red flag.
Another flag is a lot of talk about bathing and showers, it's a red flag for sexual abuse, and when I saw the amount of times Preston is mentioned as being in the bath, it did remind me of what Peter Hyatt had said.

 

[greycloud]

It shocked me 4 days later after being matched he was placed with them I spoke to my mum about when she first met me and my sister we was adopted late 90/“ early 2000s they come and see us with out our knowledge first we was shopping and they see us then we had multiple visits at foster carers then had day visits at our parents then week ends then went for a week went back to foster carers for a weekend then we went and moved in we was adopted though courts about a year later , it was constant adoption courses they had the get references from employers and friends they went in the medical financial also wanted to know everything about my mum and dad from birth and as we were classed as look after children we had regular visits with social worker , any dr or hospital visits are flagged to social as you have a mark next to your name I don’t understand how they have let the ball down I can’t stop thinkhbg Bout Preston poor little boy , I would have thought the process has got tougher not easier with lack of supervision

A friend of mine adopted around 4 years ago, they had 3 meetings and 1 sleepover before the child was placed with them permanently. It all seems very rushed, they went through a 2yr very rigorous and invasive adoption process to then "here is your very tramatised child" after 1 sleepover.
Thankfully they are responsible loving people and kept in touch with foster parents to help transition and were open with everyone including social work when they had moments of struggle and doubt. 4 years later and they are much more setlled, love their child deeply and have completed their adoption but are very open and honest about how unsupported they felt from social work who became hands off pretty quickly.

 

[Nelly's mum]

They do all this. Well, they used to. The process to get approved as adoptive parents was/is vigorous and long. They’re told about “therapeutic parenting” and the challenges of adopting children who have been exposed to drugs and alcohol, or neglect/abuse, and who might have attachment issues, medical issues and SEND.

Makes me wonder whether Varley truly engaged with the process, or just sat there not taking it in, seeing it as a series of small hurdles towards the end goal of getting a child, iyswim.

With Varley's background - education, head of year, safeguarding lead, gay in a committed relationship - he would know exactly how to present himself to other professionals involved with children and families, what to say and what not to say. I'm sure that other professionals thought he was their dream prospective parent.
Sadly, people only show aspects of themselves they want others to see, if people are not honest then I don't know how you can pick out the wronguns.

I can kinda understand a new parent being overwhelmed, maybe some neglect or not always being the best parent you can be - I'm not condoning this but parenting is tough at times - but to repeatedly SA a child, that is something so awful, it is something deep within his psyche and it hasn't just come out of the blue as a response to being a stressed new parent

 

[Lyla001]

Again a red flag! My friend and her husband were matched to two little girls last spring, it was a long slow introductory process before they were finally placed with them in December. The court still hasn’t signed off on the adoption (my understanding is this can take some time) but the little girls’ foster parents visit them at the home fortnightly, and my friend describes them
as being supportive, loving people who are relieved to see the girls are settling in well. The little girls are both under 5s, they only recently began sleeping through the night, and stopped tantrumming. My friend understood the trauma of the upheaval was expected. I bumped into my friend and girls recently on a walk, and their foster parents were with them. My friend introduced them to me as the girls first family. The foster mum said, you and xx are the parents they were supposed to have, and we will always be here for you all. Preston’s foster family could have been a great support for JV and JMF and more importantly for Preston, if JV and JMF weren’t monsters.

I recall reading something from the foster mum on the M.E.N and the way she spoke about this little boy was clear that he was well loved and nurtured in their family. I can't imagine their pain handing him over to these deviants ,having that gut wrenching feeling something just wasn't right. Not to mention reporting their concerns and being fobbed off. It's just heartbreaking beyond words . I truly hope justice is served, and for those who sat back and watched this play out are held equally responsible.

 

[nothinonyou]

Re: perforated bowel - from Manchester Evening News:
An autopsy found Preston had sustained around 40 injuries during the time he was in the care of the defendants, including internal and external bruising, a perforated bowel and a fracture to his arm.

Tattle won't allow the link to the MEN, but headline is Preston Davey murder trial hears baby boy died after 'sinister' campaign of abuse

I think we're yet to get into this evidence in detail, I think they're saving it because it will nail them both.

I attended the sentencing of the two teenagers that murdered Brianna Ghey in Manchester and it was so interesting to see how a courtroom operates and there was many others present also observing. I was jumped at in the thread at the time for going being accused of sensationalizing the case when this wasn't the intention at all. So I totally get where the curiosity comes from to attend and I suspect there are others present at this trial just observing who are not connected to the case

 

[teabob]

@Itchy of Itchington agreed. Just said the same thing to my husband. JV is a deviant. It’s not normal to film your child whilst they are having a BM full stop

 

[Tofino]

The DNA wasn't as bad as I thought. It really does hinge on the postmortem, because a lot of things can be explained away right now. Apart from the photos, but we don't really know what about them is deemed inappropriate. I have naked pictures of my kids as babies, and if their genitals are in them I didn't really care as they were innocent, not for sharing outside the family and not the focus of the picture. He could easily claim he was trying to do one of those baby photoshoots and using the bath as a white backdrop, a lot of those have the baby naked in them. I'm not saying he/they are innocent, but unless the pictures are explicit then is it really enough to prove beyond reasonable doubt at this stage the horrific things they're accused of?

How do you explain away the poo video? Or the large number of closes ups of genitals / bottom? The asleep in an empty bath video with the towel pushed up to show his genitals?? The video of a naked Preston playing with himself? And that’s before you even consider the 40+ bruises across his tiny body.

 

[PaddyDomino]

Seeing the hospital admissions written out like that is mind blowing, how did his arm not raise an immediate red flag?! The prosecutor said "a part of the bone was caused to sheer off", how many here with children have had them have an arm fracture at that age? So infuriating it wasn't investigated further.

"Earlier episodes of respiratory obstruction"
When his arm was broken was when he should have been removed from them
No wonder JV thought he'd keep getting away with it

 

[Tofino]

We haven't heard any evidence against JMF yet have we? I'm wondering if there will be more to this I that JV was sending him messages over Snapchat knowing they'd disappear and he might have been encouraging it without doing any of it.

The evidence against JMF is that he received these videos and pictures and did nothing about it.

 

[Airhead93]

Perhaps I've misunderstood but it seems like baby Preston was handed over to these monsters within just a few days. Is that what happened? Surely it should have been a much longer process of getting to know him, gradually increasing the length of visits etc. I'm hoping I've gotten it wrong but it seems so sudden. Like one minute he's with a loving foster mum who comforts him when he needs it, and the next he's with two strangers who don't seem to understand or care that he's traumatised. It just seems like a bizarrely quick process.

Another thing that confused me is that when they contacted 111 about breathing difficulties, they were waiting for a callback. Surely any breathing concerns in a baby should be dealt with immediately. I don't understand why an ambulance wasn't sent or at the very least they were advised to take him to A&E.

It's an absolutely heartbreaking case. The details are so distressing. Can't get his beautiful little face out of my mind.

It shocked me 4 days later after being matched he was placed with them I spoke to my mum about when she first met me and my sister we was adopted late 90/“ early 2000s they come and see us with out our knowledge first we was shopping and they see us then we had multiple visits at foster carers then had day visits at our parents then week ends then went for a week went back to foster carers for a weekend then we went and moved in we was adopted though courts about a year later , it was constant adoption courses they had the get references from employers and friends they went in the medical financial also wanted to know everything about my mum and dad from birth and as we were classed as look after children we had regular visits with social worker , any dr or hospital visits are flagged to social as you have a mark next to your name I don’t understand how they have let the ball down I can’t stop thinkhbg Bout Preston poor little boy , I would have thought the process has got tougher not easier with lack of supervision

 

[YellowTail]

It’s awful isn’t it but genuine parents with nothing to hide would be glad staff were doing their job once the upset had subsided. I was so upset in the hospital thinking I was being judged but thinking back now I’m glad they have a protocol. I just don’t understand how Blackpool hospital did nothing.

My eldest son was unwell with bronchitis when he was 7. He was fine. One evening he suddenly wasn’t. I called an ambulance who came out and assessed him as fine. A hour later, I was still worried so drove him to the hospital. Husband stayed at home with the other children. While driving him myself to the hospital (which I worked at) he went into respiratory arrest. This was his first ever hospital visit. Skip a long story short, I was Interrogated MULTIPLE times about how unusual his presentation and symptoms were. He was tubed and transferred to the Evelina. I travelled with him. When I got to the Evelina I was interrogated again and again, I was asked multiple times if I’d ’given him something’. For the first night, I wasn’t allowed to be with him unsupervised! I guess tests showed I hadn’t harmed him, as from then on I feel I was treated with more compassion and respect by the staff.

Not such a long story short, but my point is a first A&E visit in 7 years, and I was under instant suspicion about the severity of his symptoms. Anyway, he’s nearly 26 now, and his only other A&E visit was aged 11 when he went into anaphylactic shock on a school trip to the Eden project! I don’t think he’s seen a GP since then.

 

[Katienana]

I don't know much about the adoption process other than what I've seen on tv but wouldn't it make sense to complete a mandatory parenting course? Covering all the practical side but also explaining about how to support emotionally, how to comfort, explaining about child development and how you can't spoil a baby with cuddles.
Thinking about it there are probably more tv shows made about how to bake a scone or train a dog than there are about how to care for a baby.

 

[Ray_of_Sunshine]

Sorry if this has been said before but I can't believe the audacity of Jamie blaming the foster parents by saying they didn't pick up on any conditions. First of all they did a fantastic job by looking after him, noticing his milk allergies, taking him to appointments etc but also there were no conditions to spot. He was a healthy happy child before he went to live with those monsters.

Seems he had a lot of contempt towards the foster mum in particular blaming her for “spoiling” Preston.

 

[TheMiceInTheShed]

I’ll be honest and say I doubt a baby of that age quite had the reasoning skills to associate baths with SA. It’s not impossible I guess, but unlikely. Plenty of babies and toddlers go through phases of hating baths, especially hair washing.

Children and animals learn very quickly which situations/people will cause them pain or any sort of harm.

This is an evolutionary response which could possibly save their lives (and is embodied in the saying "the burnt child fears the fire") - it only takes one incident and the association is made. Sadly Preston was too young and too small to avoid the situations he dreaded - but he could still cry and struggle to show his distress.

 

[youRjokingHunz]

This case has made me feel so sad, and given me nightmares .. I can’t imagine the terror and pain this baby felt , lessons are never learned!! The red flags pop up and are just ignored it seems unless the trial shows some hardworking Social workers trying to make sense of liars and utterly depraved individuals..

red flag for the name change!!!!
the foster mother raising concerns over the meet ups!!
The uptick in NHS contact!

I mean.. how naive have you got to be not to have concern for the wellbeing of the baby!!! A non verbal baby that cannot speak for itself!!

shame on the system yet again.

I also hope the jury are given some support after this!!

 

[IGiveUp22]

I got really upset this morning driving to work just thinking about how scared he must have been and not being able to get away they’re just utter monsters the pair of them

 

[TheMiceInTheShed]

I am finding this all really hard to read but I want to see justice served for baby Preston.

Just to clear up one point - to be a head of year and safeguarding lead he would need some training and a DBS check, that's it. Having a DBS check only shows that the person doesn't have a criminal record, as far as I'm aware. He could still have been a monster.

For far too many men their DBS just means that they haven't been caught yet.