Three inmates at HMP Wakefield have been sentenced to whole-life orders for the murder of fellow prisoner Kyle Bevan, 33. The attack occurred on 4 November 2023, where Mark Fellows (45), David Taylor (64), and Lee Newell (57) stabbed Bevan 25 times using makeshift weapons, including a metal part from a television. Bevan, who was serving a life sentence for the 2020 murder of two-year-old Lola James, was found dead in his cell the following morning.
Core Facts & Developments
- Fellows and Newell were already serving whole-life orders for prior murders and received additional life sentences for Bevan’s killing.
- Taylor, who was on remand for another murder at the time, also received a whole-life order for Bevan’s death and additional charges, including the murder of Alisha Apostoloff-Boyarin (24) and the attempted murder of a police officer.
Deeper Dive & Context
The Attack & Aftermath
CCTV footage showed the three defendants following Bevan into his cell around 17:30, cornering him before emerging five minutes later in a "satisfied, job-done mood." They arranged Bevan’s body in bed to conceal the murder until the next morning. Fellows was seen near Bevan’s cell twice afterward, likely to confirm his death. The court noted that the trio targeted Bevan due to his conviction for child murder.
Prior Convictions & Motives
- Fellows, known as “The Iceman,” was a gangland assassin with prior murder convictions.
- Newell was first jailed for murder in 1989 after strangling a female neighbor.
- Taylor confessed to the 2022 murder of Alisha Apostoloff-Boyarin but refused to disclose details about her death or body location. He also stabbed a police officer during a meeting at HMP Frankland.
Legal & Institutional Response
Judge Mrs. Justice McGowan emphasized the premeditated nature of the attack, noting that the killers had congratulated each other afterward. The case highlights ongoing concerns about violence in maximum-security prisons and the challenges of managing high-risk inmates.