Daughter's life was 'brutally and cowardly taken away from us' say family as Bristall killer is jailed

Paul Crowther, 36, from Birstall was sentenced after pleading guilty to the manslaughter by diminished responsibility of Bethany Rae Fields, 21, in an attack in Huddersfield in September 2019.

Leeds Crown Court accepted the plea of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility following the submission of expert psychiatric reports.

The court today determined Crowther will be detained in a mental health facility and he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years (minus his time on remand). If the hospital order is no longer necessary, he will be transferred to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

In a statement released by the family after sentencing they said: "The life of our beautiful and dignified daughter Bethany Rae Fields, aged only 21 years old, was tragically, brutally, and cowardly taken away from us on the 12th of September 2019 whilst she was working for a charity which supports people with disabilities of all ages, through music and dance.

"Although Paul Crowther has now been convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, we will always believe this calculated and planned act was murder.

"Bethany was helping to set up for a music event at the Irish Centre on Fitzwilliam street, Huddersfield, when Paul Crowther, without provocation or justification, savagely and heartlessly, murdered our brave, giving, and loving daughter.

"Paul Crowther, we believe, is a highly dangerous, evil narcissist, capable of extreme violence. His actions show him to be a first-degree coward who attacked our defenceless young daughter from behind. He then straddled her whilst she was on the ground and mercilessly and repeatedly stabbed our beloved only child Bethany. She didn’t have a chance.

"She was the warmest and kindest of souls, loyal, courteous, and devoid of hate or malice.

"Bethany was our world, our pride and joy. She was a daughter to be truly proud of.

"A young woman who was respected, non-judgemental, of merit and credence.

"She was fun loving, inspirational, full of zest and vitality with an ambition to do good for people, animals, nature and the environment,

"Bethany was highly intellectual, studying at York University. Her chosen subject was Environmental Geography and her aspirations were to travel to Iceland to study Glaciology and Volcanism particularly proglacial lakes.

"Bethany’s studies and aspirations showed her love of life, nature and our planet.

"Such integrity of heart and mind to do good and try to help all through combatting climate change.

"Our lives are forever broken.

"Bethany was our world. We lived and breathed for Bethany.

"We, her devoted parents, Pauline and Jim, Richard (mum’s partner), family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved her cannot now be repaired, as the piece missing will forever be missing.

"The immense heartbreak caused by Paul Crowther’s actions is intense and will last a lifetime.

"Bethany offered him love, friendship, emotional and financial support during their time together. Even after they separated Bethany still offered friendship and emotional support to Paul Crowther’s family in times of need.

"Paul Crowther repaid her friendship, loyalty, care, and kindness with hateful and violent savagery.

"We firmly believe Paul Crowther will always be a danger to the public. He is a pathological liar who lacks any form of empathy. We are in absolutely no doubt he should never be released. To do so would be a travesty of justice. There can be no cure for evil.

"It is heart rending and excruciatingly painful to live every day with the knowledge that our kind-hearted, selfless, talented, intelligent young woman (our young Lady) will never now reach her full potential.

"But far worse, is knowing that Bethany will never know the joy of motherhood, a loving partner, and all that entails.

"Bethany Rae Fields loved and respected by many.

"Our gratitude and thanks to all who assisted our precious only child."