A shocking incident at HMP Wakefield has left the captivity system under renewed scrutiny, as a condemned child killer was found dead in his cell.
Police were called to the Category A installation at 825 am on Wednesday (November 5), attesting the death of 33-year-old Kyle Bevan. The Prison Service has vindicated his identity.
Bevan had been serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of two-year-old Lola James in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in 2020.
The toddler suffered disastrous head injuries during a six-hour assault, described by medical experts as similar to a high-speed auto crash. Her body showed 101 scrapes and bruises, along with substantiation of munitions being used.
Three Men Charged Over Bevan’s Death
Mark Fellows, 45, Lee Newell, 56, and David Taylor, 63, have been charged with murder following Bevan’s death.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed the men, all white British, have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Friday, November 7.
Bevan had been due to serve at least 28 years for the horrific killing. He had moved into Lola’s mother, Sinead James’ home just days after meeting her on Facebook. Despite denying the murder, he was convicted in 2023.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “HMP Wakefield prisoner Kyle Bevan’s death was confirmed on November 5. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”
Growing Concerns Over UK Prison Violence
This is the alternate high-profile death at HMP Wakefield in under a month. Ian Watkins, former Lostprophets frontman and condemned paedophile, was fatally picked in captivity. Watkins, 48, failed from a stab crack to the neck.
Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, have been charged with his murder. Two other convicts are under investigation for conspiracy to murder.
The incidents raise serious concerns over UK captivity violence, particularly in installations holding offenders convicted of sexual offences and child murders.
Experts advise that high-security incarcerations are increasingly unpredictable, with attacks on high-threat convicts getting more frequent.
HMP Wakefield, which houses some of Britain’s most dangerous culprits, now faces renewed scrutiny. These events punctuate the critical need for stronger safety measures and tighter operation of high-threat captures.
