Evil boy who murdered my daughter should hang, says mother

The mother of a schoolgirl who was bludgeoned to death by her ex-boyfriend has called for the return of the death penalty.

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

Joshua Davies, 16, was found guilty of murdering his former schoolgirl sweetheart at the end of July.

Rebecca, 15, of Maesteg, near Bridgend, South Wales, was lured to a forest in nearby Aberkenfig by Davies in October last year.

Her mother launched an emotionally charged 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.”

Davies attacked Rebecca with a rock the size of a rugby ball, leaving her face down in the rain wearing a new outfit bought for the meeting.

Judge Mr Justice Lloyd Jones stripped Davies of his anonymity after the trial and allowed his identity to be publicly known.

Dressed in a mauve shirt and dark trousers, Davies looked relaxed as he appeared at Swansea Crown Court yesterday before the same judge for sentencing.

He had already been told 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 repeatedly boasted to friends that he would kill Rebecca after a break-up which left “bitterness on both sides”.

He 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”.

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

The judge told Davies he had assumed that his friends would remain loyal to him 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.”

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

“My instructions remain the same, in that Joshua Davies stands by the version that he gave during the course of the trial,” he said.

Ms Oatley called Davies “the devil” and said her family had treated him like a son but he had betrayed them “in the worst possible way”.

Rebecca’s younger brother Jack said that Davies was “very like a big brother” but now he hates him for what he did.

Rebecca’s sister Jessica said she had seen antique guns and knives in Davies’ bedroom, along with “weird” drawings featuring images of skulls.

Ms Oatley added: “He was the perfect gentleman and he deceived us all, he lured Rebecca that day. I just didn’t see it.