Three prison inmates have been arrested on suspicion of murder after child killer Kyle Bevan was found dead in his cell at HMP Wakefield. Bevan, 33, was jailed for life for killing his partner’s two-year-old daughter, Lola James, in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in 2020. Authorities confirmed that the 33-year-old was found dead in his cell at 8:25am on Wednesday and said three inmates have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
The incident comes just weeks after paedophile singer Ian Watkins was fatally stabbed at the West Yorkshire high-security prison and after an inspection report found that levels of violence at the facility had increased. Bevan killed two-year-old Lola in a “brutal” assault, in which she sustained “catastrophic” brain injuries, a sentencing hearing was told in 2023.
The toddler, who had been left in his care on the night of July 16, 2020, was left with 101 injuries.
Judge Mr Justice Martin Griffiths said Bevan, of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, had launched the attack “as an assertion of superiority over the only person he could feel superior to – a helpless child”.
The 33-year-old was ordered to spend at least 28 years behind bars, and Lola’s mother, Sinead James, was sentenced to six years for causing or allowing her daughter’s death at the family home.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police told the BBC that a full investigation was under way to establish the circumstances of Bevan’s death.
“Three men, who are all serving prisoners, have been arrested on suspicion of murder,” they added.
Following a visit in June, inspectors described HMP Wakefield, which houses over 600 offenders, including those jailed for high-profile and high-risk offences, as “under strain”.
A report said: “Levels of violence had increased and many prisoners did not feel safe … Many prisoners told us they felt unsafe, particularly older men convicted of sexual offences who increasingly shared the prison with a growing cohort of younger prisoners.”
A spokesperson for the Prison Service said: “HMP Wakefield prisoner Kyle Bevan’s death was confirmed on November 5. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”
