UK - Arthur Labinjo Hughes, 6, killed, dad & friend arrested, June 2020

[Dotta]

I would imagine -

He was coercively controlled - it does sound like he was but at the end of the day he could have and should taken Arthur away from that house.

She was a single mum with mental health issues (history of suicide threats and going missing) and lockdown really got to her.

Oh, I didn't know of her history.
I tried not to delve on particulars of this story as it is not good for my psyche - it is just too much for me
Yes, I think her state of mind might be a mitigating factor according to her Defence.

 

[nothinonyou]

Lots of people are mentally ill and don't murder children

 

[Dotta]

Lots of people are mentally ill and don't murder children

Of course!
That is why Im wondering what the Defence lawyer will say.

 

[Chessgirl]

Yes I feel less and less sorry for him the further this trial goes on. He keeps talking about Arthur’s “behavior”. Still, after the boy is as murdered, his father sticks to the narrative that the boy was naughty, they they were merely trying to get his behavior under control! The grandparents and teachers say his behavior was fine. They both deserve to be locked up forever. I don’t believe Emma is pregnant either. She is a compulsive liar.

 

[Dotta]

I think she was jealous, insanely jealous and wanted to destroy the bond between father and son (if it existed before).
In earlier photos the boy looked fine and happy.
She just wanted this man solely for herself. MOO

 

[Skigh]

Social services failed to spot bruises on back of boy, six, allegedly murdered by his dad | Daily Mail Online


Social services failed to spot bruises on a six-year-old boy who went on to be allegedly murdered by his father and stepmother - despite them being clearly visible on pictures taken by his concerned grandmother, a trial heard today.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was allegedly killed after suffering systemic abuse which matched the 'medical definition of child torture', including being deprived of food, made to stand for 14 hours a day and poisoned with salt before being fatally attacked.

His father Thomas Hughes, 29, and stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, deny murdering Arthur at their home near Solihull, West Midlands, in June 2020. They also pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of child cruelty.

 

[Mrs Marple]

I can't read the details of this but l am shocked it hasn't featured on the news - or are cases like this becoming so common they aren't that newsworthy anymore?

 

[Ironside]

I can't read the details of this but l am shocked it hasn't featured on the news - or are cases like this becoming so common they aren't that newsworthy anymore?

The local news coverage on Birmingham live has been brilliant. Cases like this usually become a a much bigger story after the guilty verdict.

 

[Nellie Nelson]

My relative works in an 'adjacent' service [in the UK but nowhere near geographically related to Arthur's case]. A couple of months ago I asked him whether it was just my impression from reading headlines on the Daily Mail that there was an increase in domestic abuse, child neglect/abuse cases/mad random stabbings in the street and so on, because I felt I had really noticed over the last year that these cases seemed to be increasing, and I wondered whether it was just 'Daily Mail Madness'. According to him, it's not, and it's like nothing he has ever seen.

Regarding the case in question, I 100% believe that the step-mother had been abusing Arthur for many months, and that the abuse increased *gradually* over time. The father is easily led, but still culpable. He knew what was happening but chose her over his child and colluded in it. His attitude [choosing her] made it happen. Every time she tells the father 'he threw himself at the wall/a floor, she is telling him something *she* did to Arthur. Every time she told him that Arthur spit out his food [while having cracked and bleeding lips] *we* now know he had been poisoned with salt and/or that he had not even been given food. Both of them should get full life sentences for the abuse of Arthur. I am dreading them getting less.

 

[Skigh]

Parents of stepmother accused of murdering boy, six, called social services | Daily Mail Online

The parents of a woman accused of murdering a six-year-old boy in a 'campaign of cruelty' spanning several months made a secret call to social services fearing he was 'in danger' weeks before the schoolboy died from 'unsurvivable brain injuries', a court heard today.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was killed by his father and his stepmother in the West Midland after suffering systematic abuse 'designed to terrorise' him, it is alleged.

The youngster was allegedly deprived of food, made to stand in a hallway for 14 hours a day, would be subjected to beatings, banned from playing with any friends and poisoned with salt before being fatally attacked at his home near Solihull in June this year.

Thomas Hughes, 29, and Emma Tustin, 32, deny murder and multiple counts of child cruelty. The 'volatile' couple are both alleged to have neglected and abused Arthur, who was found with more than 130 bruises after his death.

A trial at Coventry Crown Court today heard how Tustin's stepfather John Dutton made a call to social services just weeks before Arthur collapsed with fatal brain injuries. He also claimed the little boy would be forced to stare at the walls 'like a zombie' after being denied any food when he visited his grandparents.

Asked why he made the phone call to social workers, Mr Dutton told jurors: 'I thought he was in danger.'

 

[Ironside]

It’s a very bad sign if both sides of the family were trying to get help for the child.

It was mentioned in the media before that Tustin had a history of a suicide attempt. Today I learned she jumped six floors and survived.
Family sent photos of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes' injuries to police, court told

Tustin once 'tried to take her own life'
Mr Dutton confirms Tustin tried to take her own life by jumping from the sixth floor of a multi-storey car park,

 

[Chessgirl]

Tustin pretended to be so innocent and concerned for Arthur during her interview. If she was truly worried for him, why did she constantly message his abusive father to tell him how how terrible he had been? She knew fully well he would come beat this starving, beaten boy. She saw it happen daily. She was never “concerned”. She abused the boy and encouraged the father to as well.

 

[Ironside]

Tustin pretended to be so innocent and concerned for Arthur during her interview. If she was truly worried for him, why did she constantly message his abusive father to tell him how how terrible he had been? .

The telling thing is the texts she sent to Hughes when he went to the hospital. It was all me, me, me she didn’t even ask how Arthur was.

 

[Skigh]

Father 'tried to revive son by pouring Coca-Cola in his mouth' after 'murdering' him, court hears | Daily Mail Online

A father accused of murdering his young son after starving, poisoning and beating him then tried to revive him by pouring Coca-Cola in his mouth, a court heard today.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was allegedly killed after suffering systemic abuse from Thomas Hughes, 29, and stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, which prosecutors say matched the 'medical definition of child torture'.

The youngster was deprived of food, made to stand for 14 hours a day and poisoned with salt before being fatally attacked at his home in June 2020, it is said.

Prosecutors allege Tustin murdered Arthur when they were alone at her council house near Solihull, West Midlands, and that Hughes 'intentionally encouraged' the killing.

The couple deny murder and multiple counts of child cruelty.

 

[Dotta]

Father 'tried to revive son by pouring Coca-Cola in his mouth' after 'murdering' him, court hears | Daily Mail Online

A father accused of murdering his young son after starving, poisoning and beating him then tried to revive him by pouring Coca-Cola in his mouth, a court heard today.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was allegedly killed after suffering systemic abuse from Thomas Hughes, 29, and stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, which prosecutors say matched the 'medical definition of child torture'.

The youngster was deprived of food, made to stand for 14 hours a day and poisoned with salt before being fatally attacked at his home in June 2020, it is said.

Prosecutors allege Tustin murdered Arthur when they were alone at her council house near Solihull, West Midlands, and that Hughes 'intentionally encouraged' the killing.

The couple deny murder and multiple counts of child cruelty.

Revive by pouring Cola into the mouth???
My God! This "man" is even dumber than I previously thought
I pray for this trial to finish soon because it is too much for me to read about it daily.
Good riddance to both of them!
Oh, and dont forget to throw away the keys!
I like this English expression.

 

[Noseyjosie]

Girlfriend accused of murder had police reprimand for battery as teen

Just a catch up

 

[nothinonyou]

she's taken the stand

 

[Kasmeer]

From Girlfriend accused of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes murder takes the stand which continues with its detailed coverage:

Prosecutor Jonas Hankin rises to correct an 'agreed fact'.

He states Arthur's date of birth was January 4, 2016 and not 2014 as was stated yesterday. With that he formally concludes the prosecution.

Wait, so that means Arthur was 4, not 6? And the adults responsible for him claim he was manipulative, and blame him for his behaviour? A 4-year-old?? I could at least understand some frustration ("some", not what it became...) with a 6-year-old who doesn't stop crying, or behaves "badly" (although I was sure his behaviour was almost entirely caused by the way he was treated) but a 4-year-old? That makes their attitudes all the more ridiculous. Well, if it's accurate; he's been presented as a 6-year-old throughout and sounded like he had more maturity than I'd expect of a 4-year-old (admittedly I'm not a parent so don't have direct experience of how children mature), so I'm a bit confused by this correction

As for Tustin's evidence, I actually do believe her when she says she couldn't cope - this whole thing sounds like a downwards spiral completely out of control. But both adults involved had plenty of chances to stop the spiral; that neither did and instead just acted worse and worse means both hold responsibility for the fact that a child ended up dead. Also looks like they're going to take the blame each other route, but if she's saying he'd overreact to Arthur misbehaving, well then, she didn't have to send a constant stream of texts complaining about his behaviour...

 

[nothinonyou]

From Girlfriend accused of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes murder takes the stand which continues with its detailed coverage:



Wait, so that means Arthur was 4, not 6? And the adults responsible for him claim he was manipulative, and blame him for his behaviour? A 4-year-old?? I could at least understand some frustration ("some", not what it became...) with a 6-year-old who doesn't stop crying, or behaves "badly" (although I was sure his behaviour was almost entirely caused by the way he was treated) but a 4-year-old? That makes their attitudes all the more ridiculous. Well, if it's accurate; he's been presented as a 6-year-old throughout and sounded like he had more maturity than I'd expect of a 4-year-old (admittedly I'm not a parent so don't have direct experience of how children mature), so I'm a bit confused by this correction

As for Tustin's evidence, I actually do believe her when she says she couldn't cope - this whole thing sounds like a downwards spiral completely out of control. But both adults involved had plenty of chances to stop the spiral; that neither did and instead just acted worse and worse means both hold responsibility for the fact that a child ended up dead. Also looks like they're going to take the blame each other route, but if she's saying he'd overreact to Arthur misbehaving, well then, she didn't have to send a constant stream of texts complaining about his behaviour...

that's really confusing, he was said to be 6 all along, when he was actually 4?

Also I don't believe a word Tustin said on the stand and I hope the jury don't either

 

[Noseyjosie]

I'm with you on this Kasmeer. All the way through they've said Arthur was 6 when he died.
It's been said he was supposed to return to school early June 2020 when they reopened after Covid lockdown and that the school wondered why he didn't - would this be usual practice for a four year old? I'm not a parent either but I thought children only had to start school age 5?
I'm thinking it's more likely an error in the reporting and should be the other way around, 2014 being the correct year