Lola James: 'Evil' mother and partner found guilty over death of two-year-old in Pembrokeshire
Lola James's father Daniel Thomas described his "unbearable" grief at the loss of his daughter, saying he was sorry her "short life was filled with so much pain". The two-year-old suffered "catastrophic" brain injuries at the hands of her mother's partner, Kyle Bevan.
Tuesday 4 April 2023 19:33, UK
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 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 2020, with Lola dying from her injuries four days later.
She had suffered a "catastrophic" 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".
"If I had got him out of the house my daughter would still be alive today," she said.
'Unbearable pain'
Lola's father Daniel Thomas said in a statement 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 said.
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," he said.
He said he hoped she would be able to see him now and know that she was loved and "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," he said.
Lola's grandmother, Nicola James, said the two-year-old would "forever be our diamond up in the AG百家乐在线官网".
"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 AG百家乐在线官网 at night," she said.
"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."
'Her head was swollen'
During the four-week trial, the court heard how the two-year-old was murdered as her mother lay asleep upstairs.
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.
James dialled 999 in tears after finding her daughter unresponsive on the sofa, telling operators Lola's face appeared "swollen" and she was "really scared".
Investigators found 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.
Police believed Bevan had tried to clean up after putting Lola in the bath, either to revive her or to clean her of blood and vomit after his attack.
Casey Morgan, one of James's best friends, gave evidence during the trial and said 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 17 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 child protection to be made a "national priority" following Lola's death.
The charity's assistant director Tracey Holdsworth said Lola's future had been "cruelly taken away".
"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," she said.
Bevan and James will be sentenced on 25 April at Swansea Crown Court.