Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, 'knew his dad was going to kill him' but It did not add up that he had apparently confessed his guilt to officers and yet went on to deny all the charges against him. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: A life cut short by cruelty - BBC News It's as simple as that. Jonas Hankin QC, for the prosecution, told jurors at Coventry Crown Court that Ms Tustin's account included the suggestion "Arthur had headbutted her during the incident" and had treated the couple badly. He had consumed at least six-and-a-half teaspoons of salt the day he was fatally injured. Hughes was found guilty of child cruelty counts 2 (standing in isolation) and 3 (assaults). The jury was told that Arthur's head injuries were comparable to someone who had been in a serious car accident. BBC News, West Midlands. Hughes made his confessions to the police in the subsequent interviews after the van journey. A jury has now convicted dad Thomas Hughes of manslaughter and step-mother Emma Tustin of murder. The court also heard Tustin wanted the CCTV because she was fearful of Arthur making allegations about her. His. 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Mr Hankin said the evidence indicated Arthur was isolated and "physically and verbally abused", while access to food and drink were "controlled or restricted". Hughes was described as weak by the senior investigating officer, Det Insp Laura Harrison. After Arthur's parents separated in his infancy, he was initially cared for by his mother Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow. Thomas Hughes introduced his son to Tustin early on in the relationship and she later stated that she and Arthur were 'friends straight away'. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. An official at Arthur's school noted that the child became less happy as autumn progressed. What they concealed was a campaign of violence, cruelty and abuse, designed to terrorise, debase and dehumanise the boy who depended on them. [8] Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of all schools in the UK and a national lockdown by the end of March 2020. [25] He is being held at HMP Wakefield. He told Tustin to 'just end' Arthur, 'take his jaw off' and 'gag' him, while he threatened to 'take his neck off' and 'dash my food off his head'. In reply Judge Wall said the police interviews were only part of the evidence they were to hear. In his eyes was fear, they would say, and it soon became apparent why. Then, he was really quite healthy looking, they told the court. By the end of the month, Arthur was moved out of Tustin's son and daughter's bedroom and made to sleep on the living room floor. Locations. He was made to sleep there even when the other children slept elsewhere. It was a lie. While alone, Arthur would often cry to himself. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes died after being left alone with Emma Tustin last year, Arthur's grandmother alerted social services to bruises on his body, but no action was taken, Arthur was monitored on CCTV which in court would be used to prove how he suffered, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes suffered a fatal collapse while at Emma Tustin's home in Solihull, Arthur was fatally assaulted by Tustin in the hallway at the house on Cramore Road, During her trial, Emma Tustin sought to blame Arthur for his own injuries, Thomas Hughes completely let his son down, police said. As Arthur returned to school after the summer holidays, a teaching assistant stated that she had 'no concerns' about his wellbeing. In particular, he suffered a detached retina which a pathologist said was 'very, very rare' in child head trauma cases. He stated he 'probably' inflicted injuries to his son and hit him with a slipper causing him to bash his head. You can also donate cash, which will go into a fund held by a charity partner to use to plug gaps or buy specialist toys for children with additional needs. When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, the new couple made the decision to merge their families at Tustin's home on Cranmore Road in Solihull, where she lived with her own children, aged four and five. 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He was six years old. He was slapped by Tustin for entering the living room. The horrific case of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes is raising serious questions about how his abuse went undetected for so long, whether authorities failed in their duty to protect him and how lockdown may have prevented them from doing so. The alleged incident took place. The camera also picked up isolated incidents of bullying Hughes and cruel Tustin slapping Arthur round the back of the head and holding him by the scruff of the neck. He suffered a cardiac arrest, but medics got his heart beating and rushed him to Birmingham Children's Hospital. ", READ MORE: First pictures of 'evil' dad and step-mum who tortured and killed six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Tustin was equally vile. I don't want them to suffer. Arthur's grandmother Joanne Hughes made a social services report on April 16, 2020, after discovering bruises to his back, which she suspected had been caused by Tustin. Tustin bombarded Hughes with messages complaining of the child's behaviour as his condition worsened. Barely able to stand, he folded away his bedding in the living room where his father and new stepmother had been making him sleep on the floor, all the while monitored by CCTV set up to catch him "misbehaving". By the end, the twisted bully had dehumanized his son who he claimed was his 'world'. The camera in the living room captured Arthur slumped on the floor. Kidney consultant Dr Malcolm Coulthard told the court that when Arthur arrived at hospital he was suffering from severe hypernatremia - raised sodium levels. Hughes later told Tustin he had 'basically held my hands up'. [11] Arthur was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital; however, doctors were unable to save him and he died later that night. It threw up the first major question in the trial, why was it there? She said his physical appearance seemed fine and, as his aggression and anxiety had reduced, she concluded there was no mental health issue. In reply Judge Wall said the police interviews were only part of the evidence they were to hear. Tests after his death revealed something else sinister - salt poisoning had been routine for him. Warning - this article contains distressing content. There was a consensus that it was 'inconceivable' Arthur could have caused them himself. Tustin, 32, and 29-year-old Hughes were accused of killing Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who suffered an "unsurvivable" brain injury on June 16, 2020. The child is growing up without a dad. After getting home, Tustin went upstairs to use cosmetics at about 2pm. The couple installed a camera at home to monitor Arthur during his isolation. Read about our approach to external linking. "I effectively killed my son. The trial took a number of twists and turns as the prosecution detailed how Arthur was made to stand in isolation for up to 14 hours a day, was assaulted, deprived of food and water as well as poisoned with salt. The monster even had the gall to claim the boy was making her life 'hell'. So distressing were the clips that Judge Mark Wall dissuaded the prosecution from playing all of them. She was also found guilty of child cruelty counts 4 (deprivation of food and drink) and 5 (salt poisoning). His tiny body bore more than 130 bruises. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Dr. John Hughes, MD, is a Family Medicine specialist practicing in Norwalk, OH with 29 years of experience. Arguably the most heart-breaking clip to watch was Arthur being so weak on the morning of his collapse that he barely had the strength to carry his bedding out of the living room, where he had been forced to sleep. He portrayed himself as dim-witted, lacking in confidence and completely submissive to Tustin's assertive control. Serious questions are now being asked of authorities which could have intervened to save Arthur. Hughes initially admitted he was 'accountable' for Arthur's death and said: "There's a long ways to go but I'm guilty of it. At best her evidence was inconsistent, at worst, her testimony was an utter shambles. He said: "I had lost one child, I was aware of the pregnancy of the second. She claimed she followed an 'old wives' tale' in her family and used it to relieve pain and burning on her genitals - caused by the long-term effects of trying to take her own life in 2013 by jumping from a car park. [31][32] The review found that child protection services had been involved in Arthur's life on various occasions dating back to 2018 and repeatedly not intervened to help him. March 2020: Hughes took Arthur to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services practitioner, Kerry Forsyth-Benson, who reported the boy saying he was worried about his dad not returning. 16 April 2020: Joanne Hughes reported Arthur to social services after taking photographs of bruises on his back, which she discovered when Hughes and Arthur visited. Thursday 2 December 2021 17:54, UK Verdicts returned in murder trial of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes Back at home, shortly after 2.30pm Tustin messaged Hughes to say Arthur would not get up off the floor and claimed he had knocked himself out by hitting his head on the floor. Text messages between Tustin and Hughes told the story of their fracturing relationship and exposed their violent intent towards Arthur. Tustin and Thomas Hughes[c] were convicted on murder and manslaughter charges, respectively, in December 2021. My mum, my dad. Tustin was repeatedly shown the living room footage from that afternoon but could not provide a consistent account of what happened at what time. He said the messages were so constant they became 'boring', and he stopped listening to them. [33], My Lover My Killer, Episode 2 - Netflix (story of mother Olivia). Ms Kavanagh said both children indicated they felt they were 'very happy and very safe'. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: A life cut short by cruelty - BBC News All the while, Arthur was cut off from those who loved him and could help him. Arthur was taken to the Birmingham Childrens hospital and later that evening Tustin and Hughes were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Thomas Hughes had been jailed for. Even so, Ive done my best with that kid.. New patients are welcome. One witness said the previously happy and healthy boy looked "as though he were broken" on the day of his death. Hughes was instead offered an early help programme to assist Arthur in dealing with his traumatic past, which he declined. Tustin saw Arthur as an enemy and threat to her relationship with Hughes. An eight-week trial at Coventry Crown Court. She organised a meeting with Arthur's father and grandmother about her concerns that the boy was developing an obsession with topics such as guns, death and the news, along with fears about being separated from or killed by his father. It emerged that after Tustin and Hughes each gave one police interview they travelled in the back of a police van together where their conversations were 'covertly recorded'. He wanted Tustin, her children and their unborn baby, and not Arthur. In some of the recordings he was heard saying: "Please help me, help me uncle, they're not feeding me, I need some food and a drink. On 15 June, Tustin took Arthur with her to spend most of the day at her hairdresser's house. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes' gran says 'I have failed' & blasts selfish killer for acting like his death 'inconvenienced' her Holly Christodoulou Published: 12:59, 3 Dec 2021 Updated: 14:55, 3 Dec 2021. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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