Murder accused ‘obstructive to police’
AMAN accused of murdering a toddler who allegedly died after a “frenzied” attack was “obstructive” towards police officers called to the scene, a jury has been told.
Lola James died in hospital on July 21, 2020, after suffering the kind of brain injuries usually seen in highspeed car crashes or falls from a great height.
Her mother’s boyfriend Kyle Bevan, 31, denies murdering the toddler and claims the little girl died when she was knocked down the stairs by the family’s American Bulldog Jessie.
He is on trial at Swansea Crown Court alongside Lola’s mother Sinead James, 30, who stands accused of “causing or allowing” her daughter’s death at the home in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. She denies the charge.
Yesterday, PC Richard Mason of Dyfed-Powys Police, who was called to the scene in July 2020 to reports Lola had been injured, told the court that when he arrived at the address, James answered the door.
Asked by prosecution barrister Caroline Rees KC how James was, the officer said she was quite erratic and panicked and he thought she was concerned about why the police were at her door. The officer said he explained to James why police were there.
The court heard that after she spoke to the officer, James went back into the property and closed the front door and that it was “quite a few minutes” before the door was opened again. The prosecution barrister asked the witness whether the defendant Bevan “engaged” with him and “welcomed the police presence”.
The officer replied: “No.”
Miss Rees then asked: “How was he with you?”
PC Mason said: “Obstructive is probably the best word to use.”
The trial also heard written statements from Dyfed-Powys Police detective constables Phillip Jones and Ray Owen.
The officers said that at 4pm on July 17, 2020, they were tasked with locating and arresting Bevan.
They said following information from Bevan’s mother, they went to James’ home address in Haverfordwest
but the defendant was not present.
They said a neighbour of James’ indicated Bevan was in her house and they found Bevan sitting on the sofa in her living room.
In their statements the officers said Bevan was arrested at 4.37pm on suspicion of child neglect and assault and that he became “agitated”, saying it was “not fair” he was being arrested while others were giving their sides of the story.
The court heard Bevan was taken to Haverfordwest police station where his detention was authorised.
On Thursday, paediatrician Dr Deborah Stalker – a member of the Academy of Experts, which is a professional body for expert witnesses to courts – gave evidence at the trial.
She was asked by Miss Rees to consider the possible mechanisms by which the injuries seen on the toddler were caused and the court heard the doctor was given Kyle Bevan’s account of how Lola fell down the stairs.
Dr Stalker said: “The very severe and extensive injuries on Lola are not explained by a fall down domestic stairs. The most likely cause, in my opinion, is non-accidental injury, purposefully-inflicted injury, or physical abuse – the three terms are synonymous”.
Asked her reasons for reaching her conclusions the witness points to the extensive injuries seen on Lola such as the catastrophic brain injuries she suffered and the retinal bleeding in both eyes – she says such injuries are “very strongly associated” with non-accidental injuries – and the number and pattern of bruises seen on Lola’s body.
She added that falls down stairs in children were really common and are often seen in A&E and by paediatric doctors. Dr Stalker told jurors most children who do fall down stairs, even small children and babies, suffer very minor injuries such as soft tissue injuries.
Bevan, of Aberystwyth, and James, of Neyland, deny the charges.
The trial continues.