Stepdad Kyle Bevan who inflicted 101 injuries on Lola James, 2, in ‘frenzied’ attack and filmed dying toddler faces jail
A SADISTIC stepdad who inflicted 101 injuries likened to a high speed car crash on a toddler in a “frenzied” attack is facing jail.
Tragically, there was not one part of two-year-old Lola James’ body that wasn’t bruised following a campaign of torture.
She died four days after she was attacked at home in Pembrokeshire, Wales, by Kyle Bevan, 31.
The stepdad failed to call an ambulance immediately and instead recorded a “disturbing” 22 second film of stricken Lola as he attempted to prop her up.
Bevan has now been convicted of murder following a harrowing trial at Swansea Crown Court.
Lola’s mum Sinead James, 30, was also found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child.
The “perfect” tot’s heartbroken family have paid tribute following the verdicts, calling her their “forever diamond up in the sky”.
They’ve also thanked the police and their teams for their support, and “not leaving any question unanswered or stone unturned”.
Bevan launched into a “frenzied and extremely violent attack” in July 2020 at the family home.
Mum James claimed she was woken by a “bang” and Lola’s scream at around midnight.
She said she rushed into the tot’s bedroom to find Bevan hugging Lola but claimed she could not see any visible injuries.
James said she asked her boyfriend, who was sitting on the bottom bunk of Lola’s bed: “What the f*** is going on?”
Bevan told her “I’ve got this” before James said goodnight to her daughter.
The court heard the youngster replied: “Night mummy, love you.”
Vile Bevan tried worming his way out his sickening crimes by claiming the family dog had pushed Lola down the stairs.
But the toddler suffered a sickening list of 101 “severe and extensive” injuries that “cannot be explained by a fall down the stairs”.
Her catastrophic brain injuries were most likely caused by shaking, with the tot also suffering “gripping” injuries to her neck.
There was bruising to her ears, which is rarely the result of an accident, with injuries to her head probably caused by “abusive head trauma”, a paediatrician said.
The also heard Lola had injuries to her back and legs that looked like they could have been caused by “three or four blows with a weapon”.
‘HIGH VELOCITY’ CRASH
Dr Deborah Stalker said: “An extensive subdural haemorrhage is usually the result of a high velocity road traffic collision where a child is thrown from the collision, or a fall from a great height, such as a fall from a balcony or bedroom window of more than 10 feet.
“The very severe and extensive injuries on Lola are not explained by a fall down domestic stairs.
“The most likely cause, in my opinion, is non-accidental injury, purposefully-inflicted injury, or physical abuse – the three terms are synonymous.”
Following the verdicts, wee Lola’s dad and maternal grandmother paid tribute to her.
Her biological father, Daniel Thomas, said in statement released by Dyfed-Powys Police: “The pain and grief I feel every time I close my eyes and see your perfect little face is unbearable.
“The pain I feel thinking of all the smiles you gave to me and all the smiles I won’t get a chance to give back to you hurts so much.
“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. A great team with much passion has worked together for this day since you’ve left us.
“Special thanks to the investigation team for not leaving any question unanswered or stone unturned, and to my family support officers for keeping me focused and guiding me through the darkest hours along with my closest friends and family.
“The outcome here will never stop the hurt you felt or the hurt that lives inside of me, 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.”
‘LOLA, WE LOVE YOU’
And Nicola James, the tot’s grandmother, said: “We would like to thank the police, local authority and all involved for everything they have done to get us to this point.
“We will be forever grateful for the support we have received from our Family Liaison Officers and the support we have received from Sandy Bears.
“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.”
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Roberts of Dyfed-Powys Police welcomed the verdict and said: “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 were deliberate, abhorrent and evil.
“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.”
James had denied causing or allowing the death of a child, while Bevan denied murder.
Both will be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on April 25.
The full list of horrific injuries inflicted on Lola
1) Brown / pink circular bruise which is pale in the centre on the right side of Lola’s forehead
2) Two small puncture wounds within the aforementioned bruise
3) Numerous petechial haemorrhages – pinpoint bruising – around the bruise
4) 5.5cm circular bruise on left side of forehead
5) An of indistinct bruising below bruise (4)
6) Large blue bruise on centre of forehead
7) Three puncture wounds with fresh blood within large central bruise on forehead
8) 2cmx2cm dark bruise near right eyebrow
9) Area of bruising on right side of scalp
10) Petechial haemorrhages upper part of neck and back of skull
11 to 13) Swelling and bruising around right eye
14) Petechial haemorrhages around the eyes
15) Two small cuts near right eye
16 to 18) Swelling and bruising around right eye including dark brown bruising reaching down to the nose
19) Both lips very swollen
20) Bruising along top of the left cheek bone
21) 1cm blue bruise in centre of left cheek with indistinct margins
22) Petechial haemorrhages on left cheek and temple
23) Dark blue / black bruise from left eye to bridge of nose
24) Dark red / purple bruising on left jawline
25) Scratches on right cheek and evidence of petechial haemorrhages across chin
26) Numerousscratches on front of neck
27) Scratches on either side of neck in vertical direction
28) Two distinct areas of bruising on right side of neck
29) Bruising to right ear, including inside the ear
30) Bruising to left ear, including in the ear
31) Blood in the ear canal
32) Bruising to every aspect of left ear
33) Abrasion possible from hospital strapping
34) Extensive bruising behind left ear
35) Swelling behind left ear
36) Area of bruising to right shoulder with an appearance of a “cluster”
37) Cluster of petechial haemorrhages in front of injury 36
38) Clusters of bruises on left shoulder from neck to the top of the left arm
39) Brown circular bruise on front of left shoulder
40) Cluster of bruises on deltoid of left arm
41) Background bruises on shoulder which were too numerous and ill-defined to count with any accuracy
42) Three abrasions on right side of back, two of which were 8cm in length
43) Area of abrasion between lines of abrasions mentioned in 42
44) 3cm abrasion above area mentioned in 43
45) 6cm abrasion or scratch on left side of back associated with cluster of dark brown bruises
46) Two further abrasions extending from abrasion 45 to shoulder blade
47) Multiple bruises and abrasions across the back extending from shoulder to the upper lower-back area
48) Two yellow / brown circular business on upper part of lower back
49) Two circular green / red bruises above the lumbar area
50) Large area of bruising, petechial haemorrhages and abrasions across whole of left side of back which were too numerous to count individually
51) Numerous bruises on right side of back extending to right shoulder
52) Extensive bruising to lower back above the cleft between the buttocks
53) Area of bruising above 52
54) Area of green / brown bruising above left buttock
55) Brown bruise on left buttock
56) Indistinct area of yellow bruising and abrasions in middle of lower back
57) Extensive area of bruising on right thigh stretching towards the groin
58) Clusters of bruising in a linear shape 57
59) Small feint abrasions associated with above
60) Distinct green / brown bruise on outside of right upper thigh
61) Second linear cluster of brown / pink bruises on right thigh
62) Numerous green, black and yellow bruises below 61
63) Brown linear bruise on boney part of pelvis
64) Six distinct brown / pink bruises on back and side of right thigh
65) Two smaller bruises in same area
66) Cluster of bruises and scratches on right buttock
67) Circular bruises on back of right thigh
68) Brown / pink bruise on right knee cap
69) Two linear bruises under right knee
70) Three large bruises on front of right shin
71) Paler indistinct bruise on inside of right calf
72) Indistinct area of bruising of upper left thigh
73) Bruise below area mentioned in 72
74) Multiple small bruises on inside of left thigh around knee
75) Brown / pink bruise above left knee
76) Dark brown bruise in middle of kneecap
77) Below 77 a cluster of four bruises
78) Series of bruises along middle of lower leg
79) Two brown / pink bruises below left kneecap
80) Area of blue / back bruising below 79
81) Dark linear bruise below 80
82) Bruise below 81 on shin
83) Area of red / pink bruising on lower leg with indistinct edges
84) Circular bruise on lower left shin which was dark purple / black in colour
85) Outside of left upper leg, large area of green bruising
86) Blue / green bruising on back of upper left thigh
87) Line of bruising above the left buttock
88) Abrasion on top of left foot
89) Area of redness on back of right foot
90) Brown bruise on right ankle
91) 1cm on upper right chest above nipple
92) Petechial bruising on right upper chest
93) Petechial bruising on front of right upper arm
94) Black circular on front of right upper arm
95) 1.5cm bruise on the front of the right forearm
96) Two small scabbed areas on right palm next to base of thumb
97 Blue / brown bruising over the right shoulder which the court hears the doctor could not examine in detail due to way Lola was lying
98) Two bruises on back of right upper arm on right side arm
99) 1cm brown circular bruise on left upper arm, and 2cm circular bruise in left elbow crease
100) 5cm bruise on back of left forearm
101) A cluster of five bruises on between wrist and elbow on left forearm
