David Taylor, 64, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of 24-year-old Alisha Alpostoff-Boyarin and the killing of child killer Kyle Bevan in his prison cell. Taylor, who previously described himself as an "old-fashioned villain" and a "scrapper," has a criminal history spanning nearly half a century.

A History of Violence

Born in 1962, Taylor grew up in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester. By the age of 15, he had received his first criminal conviction. He moved to London in his late teens, where he became involved with serious criminals and developed a reputation for armed robbery, often using a sawn-off shotgun. A former associate described him as "an absolute psycho" who didn't know when to stop attacking people, suggesting he was "always out to kill."

Around this time, Taylor is believed to have committed his first murder, bragging about killing a drug dealer in Leeds. In 1986, he received a 12-year sentence for a string of armed robberies. During one of these raids, he fired his shotgun multiple times, hitting a postmaster in the arm. It was during this prison term that Taylor began to cultivate a fearsome reputation, reportedly spending time in the gym and becoming heavily built and intimidating.

His aggressive behavior led to him being sent to the Special Unit at HMP Hull in 1988, a pioneering segregation wing for volatile offenders. He was known to have been in conflict with other high-profile inmates, including Charles Bronson and Paul Sykes.

Recidivism and Recent Crimes

Despite his lengthy sentence, Taylor was released in 1996 and quickly returned to criminal activity. In 1996, he was the subject of an armed police manhunt after threatening a van driver with a shotgun and tying him up. He was also sought by West Yorkshire Police in connection with a shooting.

In 2007, Taylor received an Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence for aggravated burglary and possession of an offensive weapon, after forcing his way into a property and attacking a man he accused of inappropriate behavior with his daughter.

During a period of incarceration, Taylor reportedly studied humanist psychology and counseling, earning a foundation degree from the Open University. He was released on license in 2013 and moved to County Durham, appearing to settle down. He is said to have worked with Samaritans, assisting suicidal individuals.

However, by 2022, Taylor's criminal tendencies resurfaced. He formed a relationship with 24-year-old Alisha Alpostoff-Boyarin. She was last seen in January 2022 and her body has never been found. Police established she had been driven to County Durham in a gold-colored VW Passat.

Taylor was arrested at his home in March 2024 and charged with Miss Alpostoff-Boyarin's murder. While awaiting trial, he was recalled to prison. In July 2024, while at HMP Frankland, Taylor attacked two Greater Manchester Police officers with a makeshift stabbing device, injuring one officer in the chest.

Conviction and Sentencing

In November of the previous year, while on remand for Miss Alpostoff-Boyarin's murder, Taylor, along with inmates Lee Newell and Mark Fellows, murdered child killer Kyle Bevan in his cell at HMP Wakefield. CCTV footage showed the three men laughing shortly before the attack. Taylor later boasted to a nurse about the stabbing, saying, "Nice working with you and the Iceman."

In February, Taylor admitted to murdering Miss Alpostoff-Boyarin, stating he had "tired of her" and wanted to end the relationship. Her family has pleaded for him to reveal the location of her body.

For his crimes, Taylor received a whole life term, meaning he will spend the rest of his days in prison. A former associate described him as "one of Britain's most dangerous men and will be until the day he dies."