Murdered Teenager Rebecca Aylward’s Mother Called For Return Of Death Penalty

The mother of a murdered teenager called for the return of capital punishment after her daughter’s killer was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years in prison.

Murderer Joshua Davies was branded “devious, calculating and controlling” by a judge who said he would serve a decade and a half before being considered for parole.

Davies lured his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Aylward, 15, into woods at Aberkenfig, near Bridgend, and smashed her skull with a rock last October.

He left her face-down in the rain wearing the new clothes she had just bought.

After his sentencing at Swansea Crown Court yesterday, Rebecca’s mother, Sonia Oatley, said: “It was her dream to become a barrister, a dream cruelly erased by calculated killer Joshua Davies – a young man she trusted and loved.

“Rebecca was destined for greatness. 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.”

During his trial, the court heard how Davies had been bet a full cooked breakfast by friends if he carried out his threat to murder popular Becca, from Maesteg.

A jury found him guilty by a 10-2 majority in July after deliberating for four days.

Yesterday, Judge Justice Lloyd Jones labelled Davies “devious, calculating and controlling”, adding: “You showed no remorse.”

He told the 16-year-old, who was impassive as the sentence was handed down: “Her death will leave a permanent shadow over her family.

“The effects of what you have done are devastating.”

Speaking outside court, Ms Oatley said she was satisfied with the 14-year minimum sentence.

“I would have liked it to be longer but that is a minimum sentence and if he ever wants to be free he’ll have to show some sort of remorse,” she said.

“In my opinion, he will never admit to what he’s done.”

But she said she would never understand why none of Davies’ friends alerted anyone to his repeated threats to kill her.

“I find it hard to believe that nobody came to me and said that he was making those threats,” she said.

“I can’t believe someone didn’t mention it to anybody.

“You can’t help but think that it could have been prevented. Maybe we could have stopped her going that day.”

But the judge told the court nobody could have expected the defendant to carry out his claims.

Ms Oatley added: “The truth is, I’m still looking for answers. I just wish he would explain to me why he did it and what exactly happened.”

Taking into account the time Davies has already spent in custody, he will have to serve a minimum of 13 years and 53 days before he is considered for parole.

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Rebecca Aylward Murder: Mum Says Killer Joshua Davies Is "Pure Evil"

The mother of a teenager battered to death by her ex-boyfriend after he was promised a free breakfast for the killing branded the thug “barbaric” yesterday.

Sonia Oatley spoke out as evil Joshua Davies was beginning a jail sentence of at least 14 years for the sickening murder of Rebecca Aylward, 15.

The 16-year-old caved her skull in with a rock after their relationship ended bitterly and then covered his tracks using Facebook to pretend he had been ­somewhere else at the time of the ­gruesome killing in remote woodland.

After Davies was locked up, devastated Sonia, 44, said: “I just want to tear him apart. He is pure evil and I will never forget those eyes. It was like looking into the eyes of the devil.

“I want him to be locked away for ever so that he won’t do this to another person, because I am convinced he will.

“I relive Rebecca’s last moments over and over again. I have no peace, nothing to console me. The pain and horror of losing Rebecca in such horrendous circumstances cannot be put into words. She was killed in a senseless and barbaric act. She died at the hands of someone she loved and trusted.

“I hate him. There can be no ­forgiveness. I want him to suffer the same way Rebecca did. I want his mother to know what this feels like. I want her to go through the same pain, because she created this monster.”

Cold and calculating Davies had bragged about how easy it would have been to kill Rebecca. In one text to a pal he asked “What would you do if I actually did kill her?” The friend replied “Oh, I would buy you breakfast.”

Two days before the murder Davies sent a text saying: “Don’t say anything but you may just owe me a breakfast.” The friend sent back: “Best text I have ever had mate. ­Seriously, if it is true I am happy to pay for a breakfast. I want all the details. You sadistic b******.”

Davies later bragged to pals about the killing. Judge Mr Justice David Lloyd Jones jailed him ­indefinitely for the brutal murder, one the most shocking involving ­schoolchildren in British history.

He told the brute: “You have shown yourself to be devious, ­calculating and controlling. You have shown no remorse. You killed Rebecca in the most brutal way when you struck her repeatedly to the back of her head with a heavy stone, ­fragmenting her skull. Her death will leave a permanent shadow over her family, who are devastated.You and Rebecca were boyfriend and girlfriend but that relationship ended with some bitterness on both sides.

“Over a period of months you told friends you were going to kill her.

“They did not think you were serious and they became bored by your repeated threats against Rebecca But you held a deep-seated hatred towards her which ultimately led you to kill her. You admitted to your two friends you had killed Rebecca.

“You thought their loyalty to you would prevent them from telling the truth.

“You then posted on to Facebook that the three of you had enjoyed a normal afternoon together.

“You also sent three text messages to Rebecca’s mobile phone, to a girl you knew lay dead.”

Killer Joshua Davies

Davies lured Rebecca to woods on a “date” close to his home at Aberkenfig, near Bridgend, Mid-Glamorgan on the day of her death. She happily agreed as she was hoping the pair would get back together despite their ­acrimonious split.

Rebecca, of nearby Maesteg, even bought new clothes for the date But she was ­tragically unaware the cynical thug had been telling pals he planned to kill her.

His plots included poisoning her with deadly foxgloves, drowning her in a river or throwing her off a cliff.

Earlier that morning he had breakfast with his best friend in a cafe at ­Aberkenfig. As he got up to leave and meet Rebecca, Davies said chillingly: “The time has come.”

Her lifeless body was found in the woods two days later after she had been reported missing by frantic Sonia.

During the five-week trial, ­prosecutor Greg Davies told Swansea crown court how the monster had bragged about the killing to his pals, despite efforts to cover his tracks.

He said: “Joshua told his friends ‘She was facing away from me and I thought ‘This is it, I’m going to go for it. I tried to break her neck. She was screaming so I picked up the rock and started to hit her with it. The worst part was feeling and seeing her skull give way.”

Davies denied murder and blamed his best friend for Rebecca’s death. But jurors saw through his lies and convicted him.

Mr Justice Jones dismissed the breakfast bet as nothing more than a joke between pals. He told Davies: “It was on the basis they were kidding. They were certainly not encouraging you to kill Rebecca.” The killer stood silently in the dock with his head bowed as he was locked up by the judge.

His family sat in the public gallery behind him. Rebecca’s heartbroken ­relatives and friends, including sister Jessica and brother Jack, nine, were in a ­separate gallery above them.

Sonia, who is campaigning for a return to capital punishment, wept as Davies was led to the cells. The judge allowed people in court to Twitter the proceedings of the hour-long sentence hearing.

Davies will be only 29 if he is granted parole after his minimum 14 years and released. He has already served 312 days on remand.

Outside court, Sonia sobbed as she said: “We will never forgive him for tearing our family apart so brutally and we would welcome a return to capital punishment for the likes of Davies.

“I will never forget what Josh did to her. He forfeited his human rights when he chose to take my daughter’s life.”

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