Kyle Bevan, age 31, was on trial at Swansea Crown Court for the alleged murder of Lola James, the daughter of his companion, in Haverfordwest. Sinead James denied having caused or permitted her demise.
A mother and her “monster” partner were deemed responsible for the death of a toddler.
Kyle Bevan, 31 years old, was found guilty of murdering Lola James, the daughter of his companion, in Haverfordwest.
After a trial at Swansea Crown Court, Sinead James, Lola’s mother, was found guilty of causing or permitting the toddler’s death.
The assault occurred on July 17, 2020, and Lola died of her wounds four days later.
She had sustained a severe cerebral injury, and medical professionals identified 101 separate injuries on her body.
Bevan, from Aberystwyth, asserted that Lola fell down the stairs after being pushed by the family’s American bulldog.
Sinead James was overheard describing her daughter as a “cute little girl” in court.
James labeled Bevan a “monster” who “needs to rot in hell” during the trial.
She stated, “If I had removed him from the residence, my daughter would still be alive today.”
Never end the suffering
Daniel Thomas, the father of Lola, stated in a statement that the verdict would “never stop the pain” he felt.
“Justice has taken a long time to arrive, and I can only pray that the cruel, evil people who harmed you and allowed you to be harmed endure pain and torment until their last breath,” he continued.
Mr. Thomas added, “The pain and sorrow I feel whenever I close my eyes and see your adorable face is intolerable.”
The only reason I can stand here today is in the hope that you can see me, see that you were loved, and that you deserved to live a full, happy, secure life surrounded by the happiness that you brought to others.
“I’m so sorry that your brief existence was so filled with suffering. You are so cherished and missed every day, Lola.”
Nicola James, the grandmother of Lola, added that the family is “forever grateful” for the assistance they have received.
“She will always be our diamond in the heavens, and we will continue to keep her memory alive. We send her letters and speak to her in the night sky.
“As a family, we will never recover from this irreparable loss.” We have not even begun to comprehend all of this, and we have no idea how we will ever do so.
“Lola, we will always love you, and we will miss you eternally.”
“Crash and scream”
James reported that Bevan awoke her at approximately 7:20 a.m. on 17 July and informed her that Lola had tumbled down the stairs.
“Lola was sitting on the sofa with a swollen head and chapped lips…”She said, “Kyle told me she fell down the stairs; he said the dog pushed and barged her.”
Investigators discovered that despite the overall filthiness of the home, the bathroom was spotless.
They also discovered a grey onesie soiled with vomit and blood in the corner of the living room.
One of James’ closest companions, Casey Morgan, testified during the trial that she “didn’t like” Bevan.
She said, “I told her to get rid of him because I didn’t want him around my house or my children.”
“Intentional, abhorrent, and evil”
DCI Gareth Roberts praised the ruling and thought of Lola and her family.
“Consumed by his self-preservation, Bevan lied and fabricated an accidental stair fall to cover his tracks, but, with the assistance of medical experts, we were able to prove that his actions on 17 July 2020 were intentional, abhorrent, and evil,” he said.
“Lola should have been able to depend on her mother to protect her from injury and physical danger. However, Sinead James faltered terribly in her parental responsibilities. She was aware or should have been aware, of the risk of violence that Bevan posed to her child. But she did nothing to safeguard Lola from his threat.”
In light of Lola’s passing, NSPCC Cymru advocates for making child protection a “national priority.”
Tracey Holdsworth, assistant director of NSPCC Cymru, stated, “This is another tragic case in which a young child died at the hands of those upon whom she relied.”
Kyle Bevan and Sinead James cruelly stole Lola’s future.
“The Child Practice Review into Lola’s death must determine if more could have been done to save her. And then take the necessary steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future.”
Bevan and James will be sentenced at the Swansea Crown Court on April 25.
