Lola James: Mum calls murder accused monster, court hears

Lola James died at the Noah's Ark children's hospital in Cardiff on 21 July, 2020

A mother dubbed her boyfriend "a monster" who should "rot in hell" for allegedly killing her two-year-old daughter.

Sinead James, 30, accused of causing or allowing the death of Lola James, sobbed as she gave evidence on Tuesday.

Wearing all black, Ms James, of Neyland, Pembrokeshire, recalled the morning she was found on July 17, 2020.

Kyle Bevan, 31, denies murdering the toddler, who died of her injuries four days later.

She suffered after a "catastrophic head injury" and 101 surface injuries. Mr Bevan will not be giving evidence.

Ms James told Swansea Crown Court she met Mr Bevan, from Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, on Facebook in February 2020.

The mother-of-three said he moved into her home in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, the following month.

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Ms James said a few minutes after midnight on July 17, she heard "a bang and a scream coming from Lola".

She said she ran to her bedroom and found Lola on Mr Bevan's lap, with no visible injuries.

The court heard he reassured her, saying "I've got this", and she went to bed.

At about 07.20, James said Mr Bevan woke her to say Lola had fallen down the stairs.

"I got dressed and ran down the stairs," she said.

"Lola was on the sofa and her head was swollen, and her lips... Kyle told me she fell down the stairs... he said the dog pushed her and barged her."

Lola's mother Sinead James is charged with causing or allowing her death

Asked what went through her mind when she saw Lola unconscious, James cried and said: "What's happened to my baby?"

She said: "I never thought he would kill my children, never in a million years, and he's a monster.

"I didn't realise it was so bad until my daughter got rushed to hospital."

She told the court she wondered whether her daughter would still be alive if she had "got him out of the house".

She said: "I beat myself up every single day. He needs to rot in hell."

The court heard Mr Bevan told Ms James he was "an old spice head" who also used amphetamines, Xanax and cannabis.

Ms James said the drugs never made him behave badly towards the children.

Once, the court heard, Mr Bevan became violent after taking Xanax.

'He would cook them dinner'

She said: "He got a hammer and hit my light switches in my kitchen. He smashed my house up.

"He was in my face so I pushed him away from me."

Ms James told the jury that she never had "any concerns" about Mr Bevan's behaviour towards Lola or her other children.

She told the court her children were more important to her than her ex-partners.

Ms James said Mr Bevan was "disgusting, he's a horrible person".

She said she was scared of Mr Bevan and intimidated by him.

The trial continues.