Death penalty call as ‘free breakfast’ teen killer jailed

THE mother of a girl who was bludgeoned to death by her ex-boyfriend called for the return of the death penalty.

Schoolboy Joshua Davies beat his former girlfriend to death with a rock for no discernible reason besides a bet on a free breakfast.

Sonia Oatley spoke out as the “evil” killer of her daughter, Rebecca Aylward, was told he will serve a minimum of 14 years before being eligible for parole.

Davies, 16, was found guilty of murder at the end of July.

Rebecca, 15, of Bridgend, south Wales, was lured to a nearby forest by Davies last October.

Her mother launched an emotional attack on Davies yesterday as she paid tribute to her daughter.

“The evil-doer Joshua Davies robbed us of watching our precious and perfect little girl flourish into a successful young woman. We will never forgive him for tearing our world apart so brutally and I would welcome the return of capital punishment for the likes of Joshua Davies, who forfeited his human rights when he chose to take my daughter’s life.”

She said her daughter was “a promising student, a wonderful friend but, most importantly, a loved and loving daughter and sister”.

Davies attacked Rebecca with a rock the size of a rugby ball, leaving her face down in the rain wearing a new outfit she had bought, thinking she and Davies were going to resume their relationship. She was “dancing and singing” beforehand because she was excited, her sister Jessica said.

Davies looked relaxed as he appeared at Swansea Crown Court yesterday before Judge Lloyd Jones for sentencing.

Jones stripped Davies of the anonymity normally given to juvenile criminals, and told him he would be held in “detention at Her Majesty’s Pleasure and you can expect a sentence of indefinite duration”.

The judge gave a full summary of the tragic events leading up to Rebecca’s murder before passing sentence.

He highlighted how Davies told friends he would kill Rebecca after a break-up which left “bitterness on both sides”.

Jones told Davies that he had “a deep-seated hatred towards Rebecca which eventually led you to kill her”.

He said in the days before the murder he had been “devious, calculating and controlling and you have shown no remorse”.

“Her death will leave a permanent shadow over the lives of her family, the effect of which has been devastating.”

Jones told Davies he had assumed his friends would remain loyal after the murder and stand by his lies.

But they had never taken his threats seriously and had always assumed he had been joking.

“Everything that they said to you on the subject of killing, whatever was said about buying you breakfast if you killed Rebecca, was all on the basis that you were kidding.

“They certainly did not think that you would kill Rebecca.”

Peter Rouch QC, who defended Davies, said the teenager still maintained his innocence, and claimed that his best friend was the real killer.