Evil stepfather jailed for life for Pembrokeshire toddler’s murder

A man has been jailed for life today for the murder of Pembrokeshire toddler Lola James.

Thirty-one-year-old Kyle Bevan will serve a minimum of 28 years in prison for the murder of the two-year-old.

Bevan carried out a 'frenzied and extremely violent attack' on his partner’s daughter at her home in Haverfordwest - leaving her with 101 bruises and scratches, as well as a catastrophic brain injury.

Lola's mother - thirty-year-old Sinead James of Neyland, who was found guilty of allowing Lola's death to happen was sentenced for six years, but will only serve three.

Bevan, of Aberystwyth, had denied that he caused Lola's ultimately fatal injuries, insisting that the family dog knocked her down the stairs, but a jury took just 10 hours to find him guilty of murder earlier this month.

The attack took place on 17 July 2020, with Lola dying from her injuries four days later.

After assaulting Lola, Bevan, rather than phone 999, began searching for information on the internet about head injuries before taking photos and a video of her limp body.

Bevan denied the charge of murder, telling police Lola's injuries were caused by the family dog, an American bulldog called Jessie, which pushed her down the stairs.

The prosecution said the claim was a "deliberate lie to cover up his guilt".

Bevan had lived in the family home in Haverfordwest for four months before he killed Lola.

The court heard he used drugs including Xanax, cannabis and amphetamines, and had a volatile temper.

Sentencing the pair this afternoon, Judge Justice Griffiths said that Bevan had shown no remorse for his actions and that is was possible that he will spend the rest of his life in prison, with the minimum sentence being set at 28 years.

Sinead James will serve have her sentence in prison before being released on licence.

Following the verdict, Lola’s biological father, Daniel Thomas, said: “The pain and grief I feel every time I close my eyes and see your perfect little face is unbearable.

“The pain I feel thinking of all the smiles you gave to me and all the smiles I won’t get a chance to give back to you hurts so much.

“Even to say your name shatters my heart to know you can’t hear my voice anymore, the only reason I can stand here today is for hope that you can see me, see that you were loved and that you deserved to live a full, happy, safe life surrounded by the joy that you gave to others.

“I’m so sorry your short life was filled with so much pain. You are so loved Lola and so missed every single day.

NSPCC Cymru’s Assistant Director Tracey Holdsworth released the following statement after the sentencing: “Lola died because of Kyle Bevan’s brutality and the abject failure of her mother, Sinead James, to protect her.

“However, the death of a child in such harrowing circumstances leaves many of us asking questions and the Child Practice Review being carried out into the circumstances around Lola’s death must be robust in finding whether more could have been done to protect this little girl and how agencies working together can better prevent future tragedies.

“We must make child protection a national priority. The Welsh Government has rightly committed to transforming children’s social care and it is crucial this leads to systemic changes that ensure children like Lola are better protected.

“We can all look out for children’s welfare, and anyone concerned about a child can call the NSPCC free helpline on 0808 800 5000, or email [email protected]. If a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.”