Lola James: Mother Sinead James and boyfriend Kyle Bevan jailed for toddler's death

  • Please note: Article contains distressing detail

A "monster" who murdered his girlfriend's two-year-old toddler along with her mother who allowed it to happen have been jailed.

Kyle Bevan inflicted “catastrophic” brain injuries on Lola James in the early hours of July 17 2020. Lola died in hospital four days later after sustaining more than 100 injuries.

Kyle Bevan inflicted more than 100 injuries to Lola in the attack Credit: Wales News Service

The 31-year-old denied harming the toddler, claiming the family dog had pushed her down the stairs.

Bevan was jailed for life at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday with a minimum term of 28 years. A few weeks ago it took a jury just 10 hours to find him guilty of the toddler's murder.

The court heard how Bevan inflicted a six-hour attack on Lola which began at midnight.

Lola James was described as a "helpless" toddler who died at the hands of "monster" Bevan

“He did not stop when Sinead James nearly caught him in the act when she heard Lola’s scream at midnight", the judge said.

“This was a sustained, deliberate and very violent attack. The attack was completely unprovoked. There is no suggestion that Lola was playing up in any way before she was killed."

The judge revealed distressing detail about the violent assault saying Bevan used weapons which would've caused both "mental and physical pain and suffering".

He said it was the culmination of several months of physical child abuse.

Lola’s mother Sinead James, 30, who had been in bed when the assault happened, was jailed for six years after being convicted of causing or allowing her daughter’s death.

Sentencing Bevan, Mr Griffiths said the 31-year-old was “too concerned to cover up the crime scene to do anything at all” for Lola after inflicting a, "sustained, deliberate and very violent attack" on her.

He said the act was an "exercise of power, an assertion of superiority" and the "only person he could feel superior to was a defenceless child”.

Lola was two months away from her third birthday when she died Credit: Family photo

Sentencing James, he said she "failed" to take any effective steps to protect Lola.

He said she had “hoped for the best” by leaving her children alone with Bevan and "shut her eyes to the obvious danger" he posed.

Sinead James was sentenced to six years in prison Credit: Athena Picture Agency

Throughout the sentencing hearing, Bevan remained expressionless and showed no emotion as he was jailed for life for murdering Lola.

Lola’s mother, Sinead James, was tearful throughout the hearing, particularly at hearing the victim impact statement from her mother, and cried when she was jailed.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed a child practice review would take place into the death of Lola James.

"Whilst Pembrokeshire County Council has had some historical involvement with Lola and her family, the local authority was not involved with the family at the time of her death or indeed at any time during the relationship between Kyle Bevan and Sinead James.

“The local authority continues to offer its sincerest condolences to Lola’s family for their loss, recognising that this outcome will bring little comfort to them, given they have lost Lola so young and in such tragic circumstances.”

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