Three inmates have been convicted of murdering a child killer who was stabbed 25 times in his cell and left 'tidily tucked up in bed'. Kyle Bevan was killed in an attack by convicted murderers Mark Fellows, Lee Newell, and David Taylor at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire.
Details of the Attack
Bevan, 33, was serving a life sentence for killing his partner's two-year-old daughter, Lola James, in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in 2020. The three defendants were captured on CCTV following Bevan into his cell after 5.30pm on November 4 and leaving less than five minutes later in what prosecutors described as 'a satisfied, job-done mood'.
Following the attack, Bevan was 'put to bed' and not discovered until the next morning when a fellow inmate alerted prison staff that 'something was wrong'. It was determined he bled to death from 25 stab wounds inflicted by at least two weapons.
Trial and Verdict
On Thursday, Fellows, 45, Newell, 57, and Taylor, 64, were found guilty of murder after a jury at Leeds Crown Court deliberated for less than three hours. The trial heard there was 'a lot of tension in the prison' at the time, with two other serious assaults in the weeks before Bevan's death, including the stabbing of paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins.
Jurors were told that vulnerable inmates were not kept separate from other prisoners at Wakefield, forcing 'main prisoners' to mix with those they deemed beneath them, such as child killers. The defendants harboured animosity towards those who committed crimes against children.
Prosecutor Jason Pitter KC said Newell, serving a whole life order, had previously throttled a prisoner who murdered a child and left him in bed, drawing a 'chilling similarity' to Bevan's death. Fellows, known as 'the Wakefield Dexter', had carried out two previous murders and had requested a transfer from Wakefield. Taylor had recently been moved to Wakefield and bragged about making makeshift weapons.
Bevan was described as someone who 'kept himself to himself', often staying in his cell. On the day of his death, CCTV showed him walking to his cell, closely followed by the three defendants. Taylor was seen removing something from his waistband as he entered.
Mrs Justice McGowan told the jury: 'We do not know who did what in the cell. At least one person must have inflicted the fatal injuries. At least two weapons were used... it seems likely (Bevan) was held by his arms.' She instructed the jury to find the defendants guilty if they were part of the group, even if only helping or encouraging.
The three defendants exited the cell less than five minutes later 'as if nothing had happened', shaking hands and congratulating each other. Newell had a hand injury, and Fellows discarded blood-stained tracksuit bottoms. One weapon, made from a folded piece of metal from a television, was found outside the cell with Bevan's blood, but the fatal weapon has never been recovered.
As Taylor was moved out of Wakefield, he was overheard shouting: 'Nice working with you and the Iceman,' referring to Fellows. None of the defendants answered questions in police interviews or testified at trial.
Mrs Justice McGowan told jurors: 'This case is about the death of Kyle Bevan. It is not about whether mixing vulnerable prisoners and main prisoners is a good way to run a prison... Nobody has a right to kill anyone else because they disapprove of what they have done.' The three defendants will be sentenced on Friday.
