The 92-year-old mother of murdered Gorseinon man Kelvin Evans has told her son’s killer that she looks at a photograph of her child every morning and every night. In a simple statement read to the court, Maureen Evans said no mother expects their child to die before them.
Mr Evans, 64, was murdered by Christopher Cooper outside The Gyp pub in Gorseinon in May last year. Cooper had apparently taken offence at a perceived slight against his partner’s singing on the pub’s karaoke and lay in wait for his victim in the street outside. When Mr Evans – described as a kind and gentle man “without an angry bone in his body” – emerged from the premises Cooper delivered a “cowardly” punch to the back of his head from behind. Mr Evans crashed to the floor and struck his head, and died in hospital a month later.
Cooper and his partner Tracy Francis then fled the scene, disposed of the clothes they had been wearing, and made arrangement to hide from police in a hotel. The pair were arrested when their car was stopped near Porthcawl. Cooper later boasted about knocking Mr Evans down with his “bad boys” while raising his fists.
Cooper, 39, from Trawler Road in Swansea Marina, denied murder and claimed it was Mr Evans who had been the aggressor and who had threatened to “glass” his girlfriend. He refused to go into the witness box to give evidence. Francis, 54, of Goring Road, Llanelli, denied helping an offender. Both were convicted at trial. You can read out coverage of the trial here
At their sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court Mr Evans’ 92-year-old mother Maureen Evans went into the witness box to personally address the court and the defendants. She said no mother expects to go before her children, and said she had always thought that when her time came all her children would be around her. She described her son as “thoughtful and helpful and one of the best sons you could wish for”. She said: “I look at his picture every morning and every night. I miss him so much”.
Sentencing Cooper, Judge Geraint Walters told him he had shown absolutely no remorse for what he had done, and said his “gloating” was not only “sickening” but was an indication of the kind of man he was. Cooper was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years before he can apply for parole. The judge told him it may be that he is never released. Cooper swore from the dock as he was sentenced and called the judge a “d*** head”. You can read our coverage of the sentencing hearing here
Judge Walters said he believed Francis was “infatuated” with Cooper, had “brazenly” lied to police and to the jury, and had shown no remorse for the death of Mr Evans. He said those who seek to frustrate justice, particularly in a homicide case, must expect immediate custody. Francis was sentenced to two years in prison.
Christopher Cooper (left) and Tracy Francis
(Image: South Wales Police)
Speaking after the sentencing, South Wales Police detective inspector David Butt said: “We are pleased to see that justice has been done in court. Christopher Cooper’s senseless attack has cost Kelvin Evans his life and has done untold damage to the lives of his family and friends. Kelvin Evans should have been able to return home safely to his family following a night out on a Sunday night in May last year. Instead, his family will never be able to forget that night. I hope that they receive some comfort from today’s sentencing, and that they can now begin to grieve the loss of Kelvin. Meanwhile, Tracy Francis’s sentence should be seen as a warning against assisting offenders to evade justice – this will not work and will only result in those assisting being made to face justice too.”
He added: “I would like to thank the landlord, staff, and regulars of the Station Hotel Gorseinon, who went to Kevin’s aid following the attack and also provided vital support and assistance to the police investigation. Taking drugs and drinking too much alcohol affects your decision-making. It can make people vulnerable to becoming a victim or a perpetrator. As this case and so many others in the past have shown, just one punch can have a completely life-changing impact upon both the perpetrator and the victim. In a split-second, someone can become a killer, and someone can be killed. If you ever find yourself in this situation, we urge you: please, take a step back, and walk away.”
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