Three serving prisoners have denied murdering child killer Kyle Bevan in an attack inside a maximum-security jail.
Bevan, 33, was discovered dead in his cell at HMP Wakefield where he was serving a life sentence for murdering his partner’s two-year-old daughter.
Lee Newell, 57, Mark Fellows, 45, and a third prisoner who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged with his murder.
Today, Newell and a prisoner who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Leeds Crown Court over a video-link where they denied the charge.
Fellows, who was not present, had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf by his barrister.
A trial lasting up to four weeks will take place in June next year.
Bevan, jailed for the brutal murder of toddler Lola James in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in 2020, was found dead in his cell at 8.25am by prison guards on November 5.
He had been ordered to serve at least 28 years behind bars after a court heard how he subjected the toddler to a horrific six-hour assault that left her with catastrophic head injuries.
Kyle Bevan was serving a 28-year prison sentence for the murder of his partner’s daughter when he was found dead at HMP Wakefield
Bevan murdered two-year-old Lola James who was found with ‘catastrophic’ injuries in July 2020
Lola’s wounds were so severe they were compared by doctors to those suffered in a high-speed car crash.
The little girl had 101 scratches and bruises across her body, with evidence suggesting weapons had been used during the prolonged attack.
The unnamed prisoner appeared via a video link from Strangeways prison in Manchester, flanked by a police officer in protective headgear.
Newell appeared remotely from HMP Full Sutton, near York.
Wearing prison-issue grey tracksuits, the pair spoke only to confirm their full names, dates of birth and to enter their pleas. Fellows had been excused from proceedings.
A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf by Nick Johnson, KC, defending.
The court heard that each defendant is set to argue that they did not participate in any attack on Bevan.
Judge Guy Kearl, KC, the Recorder of Leeds fixed a trial date of June 2, 2026. He said: ‘Each defendant will be remanded in custody pending their trial.
‘Each defendant is required to provide a sufficiently detailed defence statement, both to the court and to the prosecution.
Lee Newell has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bevan
Mark Fellows denies murdering Bevan. The men, and another serving prisoner who cannot be named for legal reasons, are due to stand trial in June
‘If they fail to do that, that may count against the defendant at their trial. Each defendant must attend their trial. If they fail to do so, whether in custody or on bail, that may be a separate offence.
‘If a defendant fails to attend their trial, then the trial may proceed in their absence, meaning that if they do not attend trial, they will not be able to give evidence.’
Bevan – a prolific drug user from Aberystwyth, Ceredigion – had moved into Lola’s home within days of meeting her mother, Sinead James, on Facebook.
‘He denied murder but was found guilty last year. A harrowing trial heard how he repeatedly hit her in a savage attack in the early hours of July 17, 2020.
Instead of raising the alarm, Bevan searched for advice on how to rouse an unconscious child, as well as taking photos and videos of the mortally-injured girl, which he sent to his mother.
One doctor described Lola’s body as the ‘most battered and bruised child’ he had ever seen.
James, 31, was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, having allowed him to continue looking after Lola despite her suffering previous injuries.
Bevan’s death came less than a month after paedophile singer Ian Watkins was stabbed to death at the same prison.
Former Lostprophets frontman Watkins, 48, died from a stab wound to the neck at the maximum-security jail.
Inmates Rashid ‘Rico’ Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, have been charged with murdering him.
HMP Wakefield houses more than 600 inmates including some of the country’s highest-risk offenders.