Crime

Kyle Bevan: What we know so far about the death of Pembrokeshire child killer

Published

4 weeks ago

November 5, 2025

Police launch investigation at HMP Wakefield – the same prison where Ian Watkins was killed last month

CHILD killer Kyle Bevan, who was serving a life sentence for murdering his two-year-old stepdaughter Lola James in Haverfordwest, has been found dead inside HMP Wakefield – one of Britain’s highest-security prisons.

Police were called to the West Yorkshire jail at around 8:25 am on Wednesday (Nov 5) following reports that a man had been found dead in his cell. Bevan’s death was confirmed shortly afterwards by the Prison Service, which said that police are investigating and declined to give further details.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “HMP Wakefield prisoner Kyle Bevan’s death was confirmed on 5 November. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”

Police and prison investigations under way

West Yorkshire Police are leading inquiries into the circumstances of Bevan’s death. As is routine following any death in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will also open an independent investigation in due course.

Bevan, aged 31, had been serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of his stepdaughter in 2020.

The cause of death has not yet been released, and officials have not stated whether it is being treated as suspicious. Bevan was found dead just weeks after Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, a convicted paedophile, was murdered by other inmates inside the same facility on October 11.

“Prison under strain”

HMP Wakefield, a Category A men’s prison housing more than 600 of the UK’s most dangerous offenders, has recently been described by inspectors as “a prison under strain.”

A report published earlier this year found increasing levels of violence, overcrowding, and poor perceptions of safety among prisoners—particularly older men sharing wings with a growing number of younger inmates.

The back-to-back deaths of Watkins and Bevan have prompted renewed questions about safety, staffing, and conditions inside the high-security jail, known informally as “Monster Mansion.”

The murder of Lola James

Bevan’s original conviction was one of the most harrowing cases to emerge from west Wales in recent years.

On 17 July 2020, two-year-old Lola James suffered catastrophic head injuries after what the judge later described as a “frenzied and extremely violent attack.” She died in hospital four days later.

At Swansea Crown Court in April 2023, Bevan was found guilty of murder after jurors heard that Lola had sustained 101 separate injuries to her body. He claimed the family dog had pushed her down the stairs, but medical evidence showed she had been assaulted repeatedly over several months.

Bevan, described in court as a “self-confessed spice head” who also used amphetamines, Xanax and cannabis, had moved into the family home in Haverfordwest only months before the killing.

Judge Mr Justice Griffiths said Bevan had shown “no remorse at all” for his actions, adding that the murder was the culmination of months of cruelty.

Mother jailed for failing to protect her daughter

Lola’s mother, Sinead James, was sentenced to six years in prison for causing or allowing the death of a child. The court heard that she had ignored warnings from friends, family and social services, continuing to leave Lola in Bevan’s care despite signs of previous injuries.

A Child Practice Review into the tragedy was commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council, examining whether agencies could have done more to protect the little girl.

A council spokesperson said at the time: “Whilst Pembrokeshire County Council has had some historical involvement with Lola and her family, the local authority was not involved at the time of her death or during the relationship between Kyle Bevan and Sinead James.
The council continues to offer its sincerest condolences to Lola’s family for their loss.”

Reaction and next steps

The announcement of Bevan’s death has prompted strong reactions on social media, with many expressing the view that “justice has finally been served,” while others have questioned conditions inside the prison.

The cause of death and findings of the police inquiry are expected to be released in due course. An inquest will follow once the post-mortem examination has been completed.

The Herald will continue to monitor official updates from West Yorkshire Police, the Prison Service and the Ombudsman’s investigation.

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

8 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.