Mother and partner found guilty over death of two-year-old found with 101 separate injuries

A mother and her “monster” partner have been found guilty over the death of a two-year-old.

Kyle Bevan, 31, was found guilty of murdering of his partner’s daughter, Lola James, in Haverfordwest.

Sinead James, Lola’s mother, was found guilty of causing or allowing the toddler’s death after a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

The attack took place on 17 July 2021, with Lola dying from her injuries four days later.

She had suffered a significant brain injury, and medical experts noted 101 separate injuries to her body.

Bevan, from Aberystwyth, had argued Lola fell down the stairs after the family dog – an American bulldog – pushed her.

The court heard Sinead James described her daughter as a “lovely little girl”.

During the trial, James called Bevan a “monster” who “needs to rot in hell”.

She said: “If I had got him out of the house my daughter would still be alive today.”

‘Never stop the hurt’

Lola’s father Daniel Thomas has said in a statement that the outcome would “never stop the hurt” he felt.

“It’s been a long time coming to see justice and I can only pray that these cruel, evil people that hurt you and allowed you to be hurt, suffer pain and torment until they take their last breath,” he added.

Mr Thomas added that “the pain and grief I feel every time I close my eyes and see your perfect little face is unbearable”.

“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.”

Lola’s grandmother, Nicola James, added that the family will be “forever grateful” for the support they have received.

“She will forever be our diamond up in the sky, we will never ever forget her, and we will continue to keep her memory alive. We write her letters, and we talk to her in the sky at night.

“As a family we will never get over this, the loss that we feel is indescribable. We haven’t begun to process all of this, and don’t know how we ever will.

“Lola we love you, we will always love you, and we will miss you forever.”

‘Bang and a scream’

At around 7.20am on 17 July, James said she was woken up by Bevan who told her that Lola had fallen down the stairs.

“Lola was on the sofa and her head was swollen, and her lips…Kyle told me she fell down the stairs…he said the dog pushed her and barged her,” she said.

Investigators found that the bath was spotlessly clean despite the rest of the house being generally dirty.

They also found a vomit and blood-stained grey onesie in the corner of the living room.

Casey Morgan, one of James’ best friends, gave evidence during the trial and said that she “didn’t like” Bevan.

“I told her to get rid of him and that I didn’t want him around my house or my kids,” she said.

‘Deliberate, abhorrent and evil’

Senior investigating officer DCI Gareth Roberts welcomed the verdict, and added that his thoughts were with Lola “and the family who loved her”.

“Consumed by his own self-preservation, Bevan lied and fabricated an accidental stair fall to try and cover his tracks but, with the help of medical experts, we have been able to prove that his actions on the 17th of July 2020 were deliberate, abhorrent and evil,” he said.

“Lola should have been able to rely on her own mother to keep her safe from harm and physical risk. However, Sinead James seriously failed in her duty towards her daughter. She was, or at least ought to have been, well aware of the risk of violence which Bevan posed to her child but did nothing to protect Lola from the danger which he presented.”

NSPCC Cymru are calling for making child protection a “national priority” following Lola’s death.

NSPCC Cymru’s assistant director Tracey Holdsworth said: “This is another tragic case where a young child has died at the hands of those who she depended on.

“Lola deserved a happy and healthy future, but that was cruelly taken away by the horrendous actions of Kyle Bevan and the failure of her mother, Sinead James, to intervene.

“The Child Practice Review into Lola’s death must establish whether more could have been done by agencies to save her, and drive the action required to help prevent such tragic cases in the future.”

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