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| Lola James: Stepdad killed girl after months of physical abuse | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Mr Justice Martin Griffiths sentenced Kyle Bevan to life in prison for Lola James' murder | |
| Mr Justice Martin Griffiths sentenced Kyle Bevan to life in prison for Lola James' murder | |
| A man who murdered a two-year-old girl after subjecting her to a "brutal" assault has been handed a life sentence and ordered to serve at least 28 years. | A man who murdered a two-year-old girl after subjecting her to a "brutal" assault has been handed a life sentence and ordered to serve at least 28 years. |
| Kyle Bevan, 31, of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, inflicted "catastrophic" brain injuries on Lola James in the early hours of 17 July 2020. | Kyle Bevan, 31, of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, inflicted "catastrophic" brain injuries on Lola James in the early hours of 17 July 2020. |
| Lola's mother Sinead James, 30, was sentenced to six years for causing or allowing her daughter's death. | Lola's mother Sinead James, 30, was sentenced to six years for causing or allowing her daughter's death. |
| Sentencing took place at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday. | Sentencing took place at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday. |
| Sinead James and Kyle Bevan were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court | Sinead James and Kyle Bevan were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court |
| Sentencing the pair, Mr Justice Martin Griffiths said Lola died in a "sustained, deliberate and very violent attack". | Sentencing the pair, Mr Justice Martin Griffiths said Lola died in a "sustained, deliberate and very violent attack". |
| He added: "I am sure that Kyle Bevan did this as an exercise of power. An assertion of superiority over the only person he could feel superior to - a helpless child. | He added: "I am sure that Kyle Bevan did this as an exercise of power. An assertion of superiority over the only person he could feel superior to - a helpless child. |
| "He has no remorse at all even now. At the time, he did not even simulate sadness about Lola's injuries and critical condition when everyone around him was distraught." | "He has no remorse at all even now. At the time, he did not even simulate sadness about Lola's injuries and critical condition when everyone around him was distraught." |
| Addressing the court, the judge said that Sinead James "prioritised the relationship with Kyle Bevan over concern for her children". | Addressing the court, the judge said that Sinead James "prioritised the relationship with Kyle Bevan over concern for her children". |
| Lola sustained the injuries that would lead to her death on the night between 16 and 17 July 2020, while she was in Bevan's care. | Lola sustained the injuries that would lead to her death on the night between 16 and 17 July 2020, while she was in Bevan's care. |
| Bevan, who described himself as Lola's "stepfather", claimed that Lola's injuries had been caused by a fall down the stairs, after the family's dog pushed her. | |
| Lola James was descibed in court as "happy" and "beautiful" | Lola James was descibed in court as "happy" and "beautiful" |
| She had 101 surface injuries on her body as well as "catastrophic" brain trauma. | She had 101 surface injuries on her body as well as "catastrophic" brain trauma. |
| She died in hospital in Cardiff on 21 July 2020. | She died in hospital in Cardiff on 21 July 2020. |
| The judge said that, on the night of Lola's injuries, Kyle Bevan "started to hurt Lola at midnight and carried on until she was unconscious at 6.30am". | The judge said that, on the night of Lola's injuries, Kyle Bevan "started to hurt Lola at midnight and carried on until she was unconscious at 6.30am". |
| Judge Mr Justice Martin Griffiths detailed how, in the months before Lola's death, she sustained a number of injuries in Bevan's care. | Judge Mr Justice Martin Griffiths detailed how, in the months before Lola's death, she sustained a number of injuries in Bevan's care. |
| He called Lola's death "the culmination of several months of physical child abuse". | He called Lola's death "the culmination of several months of physical child abuse". |
| John Griffiths, from the Crown Prosecution Service said Bevan described himself as Lola's "stepfather" but added his actions were "anything but paternal". | |
| Listen: Sinead James makes a 999 call claiming her daughter had been injured after falling down the stairs | |
| Listen: Sinead James makes a 999 call claiming her daughter had been injured after falling down the stairs | |
| "He had inflicted injuries on Lola in the past, but this time his aggression led to him murdering a defenceless child in his care," he added. | |
| "Lola should have been safe in her own home and surrounded by people that she could trust. | |
| "But instead, her mother Sinead James allowed a violent and destructive man into their lives and failed in her duty to protect Lola from harm. " | |
| Mr Griffiths said James was "well aware" that Bevan was a danger, but she "willingly chose to keep him in her life". | |
| In a victim impact statement read out to the court, Lola's father Daniel Thomas said: | |
| "Lola was as bright as the golden sun. She was beautiful, charming and cheeky. Her laugh would fill the room with pure joy," he said. | |
| "Even as a toddler Lola has a passion for the outdoors and everything out there - the birds, bees and butterflies. | |
| "As a parent, all I could hope for was for her to continue to grow with happiness and health. With the courage in her heart to know she could be anything and do anything she wanted. This will never be now. | |
| "Lola won't have another birthday, or ride a bike, or listen to her favourite story. | |
| "She won't sing her favourite songs, and I will never get to meet my daughter as a teenager or a woman. | |
| "All I have left are memories of a beautiful baby and dreams of the child she can never become. | |
| "I constantly imagine how she would sound and what she would find funny. I miss Lola every single day and my heart hurts every single day. | |
| "I am grateful that Kyle and Sinead are recognised for Lola's cruel, defenceless murder. | |
| "But it doesn't bring me joy. As any parent can imagine, as any human can imagine, it will never come close to being enough. | |
| "Lola didn't just die. She wasn't just taken from me in the worst way ever possible. She was brutally attacked. | |
| "Her tiny body was savaged in the evilest way. She didn't stand a chance. Lola's little life was filled with filth and chaos at the hands of her mother, who couldn't even provide her with basic safety in her own home. | |
| "The guilt I feel lives inside me and will never leave, as the memory of Lola lying in a hospital bed fighting to stay alive will remain with me always. All I have been left with is guilt, heartache, pain, and torment." | |
| Lola's grandmother, Nicola James, spoke directly to Kyle Bevan as she read her victim impact statement at the hearing. | |
| Addressing the court from the witness box while Sinead James wept, she began by addressing her granddaughter's killer directly, telling him, "look at me Kyle". | |
| "There isn't a single moment of any day that I don't think of Lola. I don't think I'll ever come to terms with what has happened. | |
| "Lola Patricia James was just two years and 10 months old when she was murdered. | |
| "I constantly blame myself for what has happened. Why didn't I see something? Why didn't I notice? | |
| "I blame everyone and everything in the attempt to try and understand why and how this has happened. | |
| "Lola was my cheeky monkey. If there was any mischief to be done in the house, she would be the one that was involved. | |
| "If I said no to something, she would do it anyway. She was so independent. | |
| "Lola would spend her days with me dancing around the garden, eating the strawberries and apples that we'd grown and searching for insects, butterflies, and other creepy crawlies. | |
| "She was happiest when she was caked in mud, getting into her shorts and wellies. | |
| "She grew into a charming, smiley, bubbly, mischievous little girl who was such a character. To the outside world she may have appeared shy, but with the one she loved she was outgoing and cheeky." | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Haverfordwest | Haverfordwest |
| Aberystwyth | Aberystwyth |
| Neyland | Neyland |