Monster Mansion prison is on 'high alert' after a hitman who shot two gangsters dead now has 'nothing to lose', according to a prison source. Mark Fellows, 45, was one of three men who murdered child killer Kyle Bevan in his cell at HMP Wakefield, and will now live in near-total isolation.
Fellows' Criminal History
Fellows, who committed the killing alongside David Taylor, 64, of County Durham, and Lee Newell, 57, is thought to be one of 60 inmates living in segregation until his dying day. After previously shooting dead 'gangland kingpins' Paul Massey and John Kinsella, he was convicted of the murder after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
The trio conspired to kill Bevan, who himself was serving a life sentence for the murder of his two-year-old stepdaughter Lola James at their home in Wales. The court heard how he was stabbed 25 times in a cell, with a makeshift weapon on November 4 last year.
Prison Security Measures
CCTV footage from the prison captured the three killers entering Bevan's cell, and leaving less than five minutes later, with him never being seen alive again. Fellows was caught on camera checking on the body to make sure it had not been discovered the following morning.
Fellows had already been serving a whole life order in the notorious Yorkshire jail, after he gunned down Massey with an Uzi sub-machine gun outside his own home in July 2015. Then, in May 2018, he shot Kinsella as he walked his dog with his pregnant partner in Rainford, and he has now been given a second whole life order.
Prison Source Warning
A prison source told the Liverpool Echo that they expect officers to remain on 'high-alert', as Fellows has 'nothing to lose', and noted that Fellows poses a greater risk to fellow inmates than to staff. He is likely to be kept separate from other prisoners under close supervision, in a small, dedicated centre within a high-security prison.
He will have minimal human interaction, spending the bulk of his time in isolation, and will receive the bare legal minimum of prison privileges, akin to the conditions that Southport killer Axel Rudakubana is in. He should be allowed to purchase goods from the canteen, though he spends little time outside of his cell, with items brought directly to him.
Prison Officers' Concerns
Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers' Association, told the Echo: 'Prison officers continue to operate in one of the most violent and hostile working environments in the world, managing some of the most dangerous individuals in society.'
'This case underlines the risks they face from prisoners who have nothing to lose, having been sentenced to die in custody. Mr Fellows will spend the rest of his life in the high-security estate, largely within a close supervision centre due to his sustained violent behaviour.'
'Staff will continue to face serious risks as they protect the public by securely holding offenders determined to act on violent impulses. Their professionalism and commitment in doing so deserve recognition.'
Ministry of Justice Response
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson added: 'Prisons must be places of control and punishment to protect the public. While we cannot comment on individual prisoners, we're introducing a taskforce to reduce violence across the high security estate and investing an extra £35 million this year to bolster physical security. That's on top of over £40 million already invested in prison security.'
