Kian Bateman, 19, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 38-year-old Shelley Davies, who died after he deliberately drove his car into her outside a pub in Cardiff. The sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on July 3, 2026, revealed key details of the case.
Fatal Collision Outside Cardiff Pub
On September 27, 2025, Bateman drove a Seat Ibiza Sport into Ms Davies and her partner Jordan Bratcher outside the 4th Glamorgan Homeguard Club in Caerau, Cardiff. Ms Davies suffered catastrophic injuries, including fractures to her vertebrae, ribs, arm, and pelvis, as well as internal injuries. She underwent emergency surgery to reconstruct her pelvis but developed complications, contracted multiple infections, and went into septic shock. She died on October 18, 2025.
Video footage showed Bateman inhaling laughing gas just minutes before the collision.
Victim Impact Statements
Ms Davies' mother, Sharon Hillard, delivered a moving tribute in court, saying: "Shelley was my sunshine on a rainy day, my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She was my beautiful, free-spirited girl and the heart and soul of our family. She was the glue that held every single one of us together. She was a diamond."
Ms Davies' daughter also provided a statement read to the court: "She was our best friend and the most loving person to exist. Now more than ever I feel like a deer in the headlights. It’s hard to comprehend how I am going to manage the rest of my life without her."
Sentencing Remarks
In her sentencing remarks, Mrs Justice Stacey stated that no sentence could bring Ms Davies back or alleviate the family's suffering. The judge accepted that Bateman had not intended to kill or harm Ms Davies when he drove over her.
Bateman was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years, minus time already served in custody. As he was taken down to the cells, a man and woman in the public gallery could be heard saying, "I love you Ki."
