Kian Bateman (Image: South Wales Police)
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A teenager who murdered a mother-of-three by intentionally driving a car into her outside a Cardiff social club has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 17 years.
Kian Bateman, 19 but 18 at the time of the killing, was convicted of the murder of Shelley Davies, 38, following a two-week trial at Cardiff Crown Court in April.
Ms Davies, a reiki healer who had helped people battling addiction, was struck outside the 4th Glamorgan Homeguard Club in Caerau on September 27 last year. Her partner David Bratcher, 40, and Bateman’s aunt Louise were also hit.
The incident
Ms Davies had been at the club that evening to watch a performance by ragga artist and DJ General Levy. Earlier that night, Mr Bratcher had been involved in an altercation with Bateman’s brother, Kai.
Video footage played during the trial captured Bateman inhaling nitrous oxide – commonly known as laughing gas – in the minutes before he drove a Seat Ibiza Sport, owned by his mother, into Ms Davies and Mr Bratcher.
By the following morning, numerous laughing gas canisters were visible scattered across the ground near the scene as forensic teams worked behind a large police cordon. More canisters were recovered from the passenger seat after the vehicle was found abandoned.
Shelley’s injuries
Ms Davies sustained fractures to her vertebrae, ribs, arm and pelvis, as well as internal injuries. Surgeons operated immediately in an attempt to reconstruct her pelvis, but she subsequently developed complications, contracted multiple infections and went into septic shock. She died in hospital on October 18.
The verdict
Bateman had accepted that he caused Ms Davies’ death, but denied deliberately driving at her or intending to cause serious injury. He told officers after his arrest that his car had been surrounded by people and said he was “frightened”.
Prosecution barrister Michael Jones KC told the jury that CCTV footage showed the vehicle was not surrounded by people at the time.
The jury found Bateman guilty of murder. He was cleared of the attempted murder of Mr Bratcher but convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Family tributes
Ms Davies’ mother, Sharon Hillard, paid tribute to her daughter in court:
“Shelley was my sunshine on a rainy day, my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She was my beautiful, free-spirited girl and the heart and soul of our family. She was the glue that held every single one of us together. She was a diamond.
“She was the most unselfish person I have ever known in my life. She didn’t ask for much – just made do with what she had. It’s hard to look back on that. She deserved so much more than she had and what happened to her.
“When her father and I got divorced she was a tower of strength and swapped roles with us, she supported us through it. She was the architect of the family unit and did so much more than provide a place to gather. She provided everything.
“Not just Christmas and birthdays – she found any excuse to bring us together. Even a Saturday afternoon she made sure everything was done and every detail was taken care of so we could be together as a family.
“She was loud, vibrant, and possessed a dry sense of humour that could light up the darkest room. She wasn’t perfect, she never portrayed herself to be, that was what was so likeable about her. What you saw was what you got. She was just a beautiful soul and a real human being.
“She was fearfully true to herself and had no fear. She was my confidant, protector, my friend and an amazing daughter. I’m so incredibly proud of the woman she was becoming. She wondered all her life what her purpose would be, she knew there was a reason, she just had to find it.”
Ms Hillard told the court her daughter’s work as a reiki healer had helped save the lives of 11 people.
“She made me burst with pride.”
Her father, Sean Davies, recalled speaking with his daughter just hours before the attack:
“It was only a couple of hours before this we were outside the front of your house having a laugh and talking about booking a holiday back to France, to Normandy. You were excited about going out that evening.
“Then came the devastating phone call from your sister and it felt like I was hit by a bat. You were in surgery at the time to try and save your life. You gave the best effort to survive and it breaks my heart to say it wasn’t enough.”
Ms Davies’ daughter provided a statement which was read to the court by junior prosecution barrister Dean Pullen:
“She was our best friend and the most loving person to exist. Now more than ever I feel like a deer in the headlights. It’s hard to comprehend how I am going to manage the rest of my life without her.
“When I see similar car to one that killed my mum I relive it in my head. It’s hard for my siblings to have to grow up without their mother. Going through everything now she’s gone feels like a huge chunk of us has been taken away and left with a gaping hole.
“I see other people spending time with their mothers and I feel envy. The closest thing I have to hugging my mum is hugging her grave. This pain is something no one should have to suffer from, especially from such a young age.”
Sentencing
In mitigation, Caroline Rees KC referred to Bateman’s remorse over Ms Davies’ death, his age at the time of the offence, and the absence of premeditation. She noted he had no previous convictions.
Judge Mary Stacey addressed Bateman directly:
“I am sure you did not see Shelley Davies lying in the road next to David Bratcher. I accept you did not intend to cause her any harm.
“Because she was in the way when you caused serious harm to David Bratcher, it means you are guilty of Shelley Davies’ murder. The concept of transferred malice has been explained to you. I accept you did not want or try to hurt Shelley Davies.”
Bateman, who appeared in the dock in a black suit and tie, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years. Time already served on remand will be deducted.
As he was led away, cries of “love you Ki” were heard from the public gallery before shouting broke out outside the courtroom.
Family’s fight for justice
Speaking to the press outside court, Ms Hillard said she was not satisfied with how the case had been handled:
“Today’s sentencing marks the conclusion of only one chapter in our fight for Shelley. She was the heart and soul of our family—a free-spirited, fun-loving, beautiful, and gifted reiki healer whose life was needlessly and violently stolen from us.
“From the very beginning we have maintained that the investigation was flawed and incomplete. South Wales Police and the CPS took the easiest route possible to secure a single conviction rather than facing the whole truth.
“While a detective superintendent from homicide had the audacity to sit in my living room, surrounded by photos of Shelley, and proudly boast to me, her mother, that they got a great result, we have only ever been met by silence, lies, and attempts to manage, belittle, and disrespect our legal challenges by both the investigating officer and the wider homicide team.
“Our family refuses to accept these half-measures of justice. Shelley was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a beautiful living soul—not a statistic or a tick on a scorecard.
“We do not accept that a single individual bears the sole responsibility for Shelley’s death, and we are currently pursuing a formal Victims’ Right to Review to ensure that everyone involved in the violence that surrounded her death, in whatever part they played, are fully held to account in law, even though we have only been met by silence from the appeals unit so far. Shelley deserves more and we will not stop fighting for her, not until true justice is served.”
Police and CPS response
Detective Superintendent Mark O’Shea from South Wales Police said:
“The evidence that was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service led to them considering in detail the detailed evidence we gathered. The incident itself was largely captured on CCTV, so it’s unequivocal as to what took place.
“It’s the CPS’ responsibility to consider what charges to lay in the circumstances, and in careful and considered analysis of the evidence – supported by King’s Counsel – they decided on the charges. Those charges are then presented to the court and the jury then come to a determination, which they have done.”
He added:
“On September 27, 2025, Shelley Davies, a mum of three, went on a night out to watch live music at a local social club with her partner David Bratcher, but tragically never went home after suffering fatal injuries. The court found that Kian Bateman deliberately drove at Shelley and seriously injuring David.
“Shelley was loved dearly, and is greatly missed, by her family and friends. Our thoughts remain with them today as they have been throughout this horrendous ordeal. We would like to thank all the witnesses who assisted the investigation, the Caerau community, as well as the prosecution team.”
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said:
“Our thoughts remain with Shelley’s family and friends over their tragic loss. We make decisions based on the evidence and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. We have provided a full explanation of our decision to Shelley’s family, clarifying the law and the reasons for that decision.”
