Lola James: Heartbroken family pay tribute to 'beautiful' toddler as killers jailed

The father of a two-year-old who was brutally murdered by her mother's partner has said his heart hurts "every day" following the death of his "beautiful, bright" daughter.

Lola James died after suffering a "frenzied and violent attack" at her own home which left her unconscious with 101 injuries including brain damage.

Her mother's partner, 31-year-old Kyle Bevan, of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, has been sentenced to life in prison for Lola's murder and has been ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years.

Lola's mother, Sinead James, 30, of Neyland, Pembrokeshire, was convicted of causing or allowing her daughter's death. She has been jailed for six years.

A victim impact statement on behalf of Lola's father Daniel Thomas was read out in court by the junior prosecution counsel.

The statement said: "Lola was as bright as the golden sun. She was beautiful, charming and cheeky. Her laugh would fill the room with pure joy.

"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 Bevan as she read her victim impact statement during his and her daughter’s sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court.

She addressed the court while her daughter Sinead James wept.

Nicola James began her statement by addressing her granddaughter's killer directly saying: "Look at me, Kyle."

She continued: “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.”

Nicola James concluded her statement by directly addressing Bevan once again.

Speaking angrily she said: "Kyle. You took the young, innocent life of my granddaughter. At the same time, you’ve taken so much more than you can even imagine.

"You killed my Lola, and you have broken her family. I hope that in the time that you have now you can understand what you have done.”

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