News

Sinead James: ‘I heard a loud bang and a scream from Lola at around midnight’

Published

2 years ago

March 29, 2023

Carli Newell

“I WISH i did everything different, i wish i never had him in my house, i wish i never met him.”

These are the words sobbed by Sinead James in the witness box at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Mar 28).

Lola’s mother, Sinead James, 30, was the first defence witness to take to the stand in the murder trial of two-year-old Lola James from Haverfordwest.

James is accused of allowing or causing the death of her child, by failing to protect Lola from murder-accused Kyle Bevan, 31.

The court heard how James had very little experience of relationships that did not involve domestic violence, citing that two out of her three children’s fathers had been verbally and physically violent towards her.

This was backed up with evidence provided to the court last week from health visitors, social services and medical doctors.

In January 2020, James ended the relationship with her former partner, a man who was physically and emotionally violent towards her. Following the breakdown of this relationship, James sought mental health help from her doctor and was prescribed an antidepressant.

The following month, James entered a new relationship with Kyle Bevan, one that progressed extremely quickly – with Bevan living at her residence full-time within a month.

The court heard how James had interventions from social services shortly after the birth of her first child, and had attended a number of courses, namely the freedom course, which offers victims of domestic violence better understanding of abusive situations and how best to protect both herself and children.

This course was offered again following the breakdown of her previous relationship.

James admitted to the court that although she attended a few of the classes, she quickly realised that the materials were that of the same of the one she had previously completed so saw no need to carry on.

James described her relationship with Bevan, stating that the first couple of months were brilliant, but then things started to change.

The court heard of a number of incidents in the lead up to Lola’s death where Bevan had been verbally abusive and smashing up the family home, punching headbutting door frames and the sofa, and an incident where the defendant smashed a light switch with a hammer.

When asked whether James thought that the children were in any danger following these incidents, James replied that she never had any concerns for the children’s safety as Bevan hadn’t physically assaulted her like her previous partners so she did not consider the relationship one of domestic violence.

This is something that the Crown Prosecution argues should have set off alarm bells.

Caroline Rees KC, brought up all the accounts of Bevan smashing up the house, shouting in James face, punching door frames, sofas and smashing the light switch with a hammer.

Ms Rees asked the defendant if any of these occasions gave her any concerns.

She said: “Looking back to past relationships that were abusive and violent, and you had interventions to help, with various agencies working with you to teach you spot patterns of domestic relationships.

“One point of those is to stop you falling into those patterns and protect the children – did you learn?”

James replied : “No obviously not, I didn’t think Kyle would end up like this, I didn’t think my child would end up dead either.”

The court heard how the day before Lola’s fatal accident, James had spoken to her domestic violence officer and a suggestion was made to her to check Bevan’s name under Clare’s Law.

This was a subject that was broached by James with Bevan, however he refused to engage with the proceedings by withholding his date of birth.

Something the prosecution argued should have been a red flag.

On the night of July 16, James went to bed at around 8pm, leaving Bevan downstairs with two of her children.

James described being awoken by a loud bang and a scream from Lola at around midnight.

The defendant got up to investigate, however she found Bevan sat on Lola’s bed cradling her. Bevan told James that Lola had fallen from the ladder of the bunk bed and had banged her head and that he was dealing with it.

She went to the toilet and upon leaving the bathroom, she saw Lola laying in her bed, cuddling a Moana teddy and she reported she said: “Night mummy, love you.”

James claims she saw no visible injuries to Lola’s head or face at this time, despite the fact that she did not enter the bedroom.

James told the court how at the time, she believed Bevan’s explanations for the injuries to her children in the weeks leading up to Lola’s – all of which were explained away as the dog knocking the children over or clumsy play.

However in hindsight, she agrees that there was a pattern that she should have spotted.

The defendant added: “Yeah, but you don’t realise how hard it is when you’re going through it.

“I didn’t see it as a domestic violence relationship until the day my daughter was brought to hospital.

“The domestic violence I’m used to is getting beaten while you’re sleeping.”

James told the court how Bevan had promised to protect her and her children from her former partner who had made threats to come to her home and kill her in front of her children.

She said: “I’m petrified of every man, not just him, he said he would protect me and my children as Stephen had threatened to come to my house and kill me in front of my children.”

James sobbed in the witness box: “He never protected me or them, he killed my child.

“I wish i did everything different, i wish i never had him in my house, i wish i never met him.”

Crime

Proposed police precept to be scrutinised by police and Crime Panel

Published

1 min ago

January 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE PROPOSED precept for Dyfed Powys Police will be put under scrutiny at the first meeting of the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel in 2025.

Panel members will meet on Friday 24 January 2025 at County Hall in Haverfordwest to discuss the precept and challenge Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn on his budget plans for the coming year.

The panel, made up of members nominated by the four councils in the force area plus two independent members, has the power to approve or veto the proposed police precept.

Local policing is funded from a Home Office grant, as well as contributions from the public via the Council Tax, known as the police precept.

During the meeting Mr Llywelyn will inform the panel of the findings of a recent public consultation on police funding.

Panel Chair, Professor Ian Roffe, said: “As a Police and Crime Panel, it is our role to scrutinise the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed precept to ensure that his financial budget is balanced and appropriate to serve the communities of Carmarthenshire, Powys, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. We are all acutely aware of the financial pressure upon households and it is incredibly important, therefore, that the Police and Crime Panel seek assurances that any increase in residents’ taxes reflect good value for their money.”

Visit www.dppoliceandcrimepanel.wales for more information about the Panel, its membership, forthcoming meeting dates, agendas and webcasting links, as well as submitting questions for the Panel to put to the Commissioner.

Questions can be submitted online, or in writing at [email protected] at least 10 days before a meeting.

News

Public urged to have their say on the future of waste and recycling in Pembrokeshire

Published

15 mins ago

January 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has launched a draft environmental strategy outlining proposals for the future of waste and recycling, street cleansing, and green spaces in the county. Members of the public are being encouraged to provide feedback on the Draft Environmental Services Strategy 2025-2030.

Over the last 20 years, the council has implemented several changes, regularly earning its place among the top-performing councils in Wales for recycling. However, a detailed analysis of household waste in 2022 revealed that 48% of materials found in black bags could still be recycled.

The new strategy proposes improvements such as introducing additional recycling streams at the kerbside and changes to residual waste collections (black bags).

Call for public feedback

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said:
“The aim of the strategy is to review the best available options for Pembrokeshire to meet its environmental aspirations of reducing waste and encouraging recycling, reuse, and repair, as well as improving the local environment.

“Considering your views is an essential part of the Council’s decision-making process, and we are open to ideas from households and businesses to help deliver the Environmental Services Strategy.”

Key priorities of the strategy

The strategy focuses on delivering four main priorities:

Improving prevention and reuse of resources
- Reduce the overall waste generated per household.
- Enhance reuse options through Waste and Recycling Centres.
Building on recycling performance to align with the circular economy and Net Zero goals
- Continue meeting statutory recycling targets.
- Expand kerbside recycling services to make recycling more accessible and promote material circularity.
- Review residual waste collections (including the potential for four-weekly collections) to reduce waste, increase recycling income, and cut disposal costs.
Enhancing the sustainability of streets, beaches, and green spaces
- Provide sustainable and cost-effective solutions to maintain and improve the quality of public spaces.
- Boost ecological resilience with biodiversity preservation projects, habitat protection, and climate change adaptation initiatives.
Driving engagement and compliance through behaviour change
- Deliver effective communication and engagement programmes.
- Support households and businesses in recycling and waste management.
- Encourage recycling at home, work, and “on the go.”
- Combat enviro-crime, including fly-tipping and littering.

How to have your say

Residents can share their views by completing the online response form on the council’s website. Those who require a paper copy can call the Customer Contact Centre on 01437 764551 or email [email protected].

The closing date for responses is February 19, 2025.

Crime

Drug dealers caught trafficking cocaine worth £2,000 to Steynton addict

Published

45 mins ago

January 20, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A COURT has heard how two drug dealers were caught trafficking cocaine with a street value of up to £2,000 to an addict in Steynton.

On the morning of July 31, 2024, officers stopped a silver Mercedes on the A477 westbound as it travelled from Swansea into Pembrokeshire. The vehicle was driven by Leslie Thomas, 65, with dealer Adam Idris, 42, in the passenger seat.

A search of the car uncovered 13.6 grams of cocaine, with a purity of 74%, wrapped in small plastic bags. The drugs, hidden in a compartment under the driver’s seat, had an estimated street value of £1,360 to £1,700 in the Dyfed-Powys Police division area.

Officers also discovered a handwritten note containing the address of Jessie Thompson, a 30-year-old addict, who was expecting the delivery at her home in Plas Peregrine, Steynton. When police visited the property, Thompson was described as “noncompliant and intoxicated through drugs.”

Surveillance and phone evidence

Further investigations revealed that Thomas’ silver Mercedes had made two return trips between Swansea and Milford Haven on July 2 and July 24. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) checks also linked the car to journeys to Haverfordwest and Thompson’s home.

Mobile phone analyses showed 105 calls between Idris and Thompson from June 21 to June 30, with the last call made the day before the arrest. During the call, Idris asked if Thompson would be “about.” A map application on Thomas’ phone confirmed visits to Thompson’s address on July 24.

A search of Thompson’s property uncovered drug paraphernalia, including crack foil, several snap bags, and digital scales containing cocaine residue.

Debt and coercion

During a police interview, Thompson claimed she was contacted by an unidentified caller, later identified as Idris, who asked her to sell drugs.

“He’d heard that [Thompson] could shift drugs,” said prosecutor James Hartson. “She was told she didn’t have to pay up front and could sell the drugs on credit. Her debt eventually reached £6,000, which she tried to clear by selling drugs to fund her addiction. She kept a baseball bat at her home for protection.”

Sentences handed down

Idris and Thompson both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cocaine possession. Idris also admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine. Thomas, of George Street, Neath, pleaded guilty to cocaine possession.

Idris was sentenced to 50 months in custody. Thomas received 29 months. Thompson was handed a 20-month sentence, suspended for 24 months. She was also ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.