A father has denied physically or sexually abusing baby Preston during a court hearing held in Preston. The trial centres on troubling images taken of baby Preston and concerns regarding his care while the father’s partner was alone with the child.
Prosecutors stated that the risk to the baby’s health was obvious, but the defendant maintained that he entrusted his partner and did not neglect his duty as a parent.
Father’s Defence Laid Out
Mr McGowan-Fazakerley, the defendant, told the court that he instructed his partner to lay baby Preston down safely while he was cooking Sunday lunch and believed that this was done properly. He expressed shock and trauma over the situation, insisting that he never saw any signs of distress, such as blue lips or injury.
Prosecutor Highlights Risk
Prosecutor Mr Wright stated that the danger to Preston’s life was clear and questioned whether the defendant’s actions amounted to a dereliction of duty. He suggested that Preston was positioned in a way that obstructed his airways, an allegation Mr McGowan-Fazakerley denied.
Dispute Over Injuries
The court heard that Preston suffered a sore bottom days before his death from upper airway obstruction. The father said he changed the baby’s nappy and found it to be normal, arguing that he would have removed Preston from the home if he believed any abuse was occurring.
Emotional Toll Revealed
Mr McGowan-Fazakerley described the devastating impact of losing Preston, saying that his hopes for the child’s future collapsed on July 27. He maintains that everything he did was for Preston and his family, expressing deep trauma over the tragedy.
Originally published by UKNIP.
