A child killer was stabbed 25 times in his own cell at a high-security prison while serving a life sentence, a trial has heard.
Convicted murderers Mark 'The Iceman' Fellows, 45, David Taylor, 64, and Lee Newell, 57, all deny murdering 33-year-old Kyle Bevan at HMP Wakefield. Bevan was found dead in his cell with 25 stab wounds.
Leeds Crown Court heard that Bevan had been convicted and sentenced for the murder of his stepchild in 2023, serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years. He was classified as a 'vulnerable prisoner' at the jail, where there were 'tensions' between vulnerable and main prisoners.
Prosecutors alleged the three defendants worked as a 'team' and moved to Bevan's cell, where he was stabbed with improvised weapons. Jason Pitter KC, prosecuting, claimed the murder may have been motivated by a 'desire to be transferred'.
Mr. Pitter said that during a transfer out of the prison, Taylor was allegedly heard by a nurse to shout near Newell, 'nice working with you and the Iceman'.
On the fourth day of the trial, jurors were told that searches after Bevan's death uncovered two weapons inside a chilli sauce bottle and an improvised weapon on a pavement outside the prison, thrown from a cell window.
Earlier, prosecutors said these weapons 'could not be matched to the injuries but could not be scientifically excluded' from the attack.
Pathologist Dr. Kirsten Hope, who performed the post-mortem, said Bevan suffered 25 stab wounds and other injuries, and would have died 'very shortly after'. The cause of death was 'blood loss due to multiple stab wounds', with the collective injuries penetrating major vessels.
Prosecutors also called prison officer Ryan Sulway as a witness. He testified that after Bevan's death, Taylor was transferred to HMP Manchester, where Sulway worked. Sulway said Taylor expressed 'strong views' about mixing general and vulnerable prisoners, stating that matters would be 'taken into their own hands'. Sulway interpreted this as Taylor issuing 'judgement or punishment' as he saw fit.
Sulway claimed Taylor described vulnerable prisoners as 'scum' or 'second class citizens'. They also discussed the death of Ian Watkins at HMP Wakefield and another incident where someone was 'tucked into bed'. Taylor allegedly gave a 'nod of approval' to those involved.
Under cross-examination from Jeremy Dein KC, representing Taylor, Sulway admitted it was 'very strange' that general and vulnerable prisoners mixed at Wakefield, unlike at his own prison. He denied being mistaken about the 'nod of approval'.
Fellows, Taylor, and Newell, all of no fixed address, deny murder. The trial continues.
