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

[Kitkat28]

Did she know there was CCTV in the house? It seems beyond bizarre to me to blithely abuse and torture a child, knowing that it’s all being captured on video.

Did Hughes install it to catch her at it or for some other reason?

 

[Littlegreenlady]

Reading about this case is difficult. I don't understand why people who spoke to him and had to give him water can stand up and give evidence in court but didn't call the police when they saw and heard the abuse. Arthur was failed by so many people

I agree. Reading about what the hairdresser saw, I don't understand why she wouldn't be concerned.
I worked for a company where we were given safeguarding training and that's exactly why so many safeguarding rules were set up, because often in cases of abuse, people do see things but don't know where to turn or what to do. So every council now has a safeguarding policy.
Or you can report anonymously through the NSPCC. We did that a few years ago, when we had horrible neighbours. They didn't treat their kids anywhere near as badly as this - it was more them being too drugged up to care for them, or having blazing rows in the street, on the coldest night of the year, with one of the kids naked in the street.
The NSPCC were amazing without a doubt and I would always say to anyone to report it to them - if you're not sure, they are the experts, so tell them and they can make decisions on what to do,

 

[Skigh]

Boy, six, 'murdered' by his father and stepmother suffered brain injuries akin to a motorway crash | Daily Mail Online

 

[esthome]

Did she know there was CCTV in the house? It seems beyond bizarre to me to blithely abuse and torture a child, knowing that it’s all being captured on video.

Did Hughes install it to catch her at it or for some other reason?

I just don’t think she thought it would ever become an issue. He wasn’t in school or seeing family and she had a quickly turned Hughes against his son too so no worries there. When she flipped out and delivered those final blows that killed Arthur, if she was continuing to lie to Hughes that it was in fact Arthur who’d caused the injuries to himself, she probably thought she couldn’t say let’s wipe the footage. Or perhaps in panic mode, she just didn’t think of the cctv or perhaps it was pure arrogance that her story would be believed that it was Arthur who had done it to himself so it would never be reviewed. But yes, it is odd why the cctv wasn’t considered but if Hughes had put it in on the sly, then surely he’d have seen she was lying about his son early on. ??

 

[onthecounter]

I think she installed the CCTV - on the suggestion of her hairdresser - to prove that she wasn’t hitting Arthur, as she was worried that she’d get in trouble for the bruises when it was initially only Hughes who was hitting him, so wanted proof of that. And Hughes is caught on CCTV hitting Arthur - not Tustin, I believe, so in that respect her plan worked. But majorly backfired, as the abuse escalated and took place out of scope of CCTV in the hallway.

 

[Dotta]

This creature (I cant call him a man or, God Forbid, a father) was blessed with a beautiful son.

A son who would have been his friend in adulthood and help in old age.

But he didnt appreciate the Gift.

Because he has a heart of stone!!!!

And now this stone is tied around his neck and he will be crawling in his cell till his miserable life ends.

I dont want to waste my words to describe what I think about the wicked, wicked stepmother.

I have been following this case reading DMail reports and my heart is heavy.

I hope the punishment will be severe!

 

[Dotta]

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Boy died with bruises that 'screamed inflicted injury', court hears | Daily Mail Online

Pathologist speaks

 

[Skigh]

Boy, six, 'murdered by father and stepmother died when he was slammed with severe force' | Daily Mail Online


A boy allegedly murdered by his father and stepmother in a 'campaign of cruelty' died after being shaken and slammed with 'very severe force', a court heard.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was died after allegedly suffering months of systematic abuse 'designed to terrorise' the youngster, prosecutors claim.

Emma Tustin, 32, and Thomas Hughes, 29, allegedly poisoned Arthur with salt, deprived him of food and forced the boy to stand for hours on end in a hallway.

The Birmingham City fan died with 'unsurvivable brain injuries' on June 17, 2020, a day after being allegedly attacked by Tustin at home near Solihull, West Midlands.

She allegedly carried out the fatal assault and fetched her phone immediately afterwards to photograph Arthur as he lay dying in the hallway.

Tustin and Hughes deny murder and multiple counts of child cruelty.

 

[Skigh]

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, had highest salt levels that doctor had ever seen, court hears | Daily Mail Online

 

[SpursGyal]

This case has broken my heart. I’ve cried reading the daily updates.

 

[Dotta]

Im sorry if I sound rude but...
Where was the rest of his family??? Grandparents, uncles, aunts and other relatives?
What happened to family loyalty and assistance?
My mind boggles

I wonder about another thing.
Stepm ( I just cant write the word "mother") is pregnant I read.
So... if she stays in prison for many years, what will happen to the newborn baby?
I also read she already has other kids but who takes care of them?

 

[nothinonyou]

Im sorry if I sound rude but...
Where was the rest of his family??? Grandparents, uncles, aunts and other relatives?
What happened to family loyalty and assistance?
My mind boggles

I wonder about another thing.
Stepm ( I just cant write the word "mother") is pregnant I read.
So... if she stays in prison for many years, what will happen to the newborn baby?
I also read she already has other kids but who takes care of them?

Tustin was pregnant at the time but has since miscarried, I think.

Grandparents reported the abuse multiple times but nothing was done.Hughes cut contact with them when Arthur disclosed abuse

 

[Skigh]

Boy, six, 'murdered by his father and stepmother' suffered nearly 100 injuries, court hears | Daily Mail Online

A boy allegedly murdered by his father and stepmother following a 'campaign of cruelty' was found with almost 100 areas of injury, a court heard.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was found with dozens of bruises from his head to his feet, post-mortem examinations showed.

The boy was systematically abused by Thomas Hughes, 29, and his 32-year-old partner Emma Tustin, it is alleged, before being killed in June last year.

He suffered neglect and harm 'designed to terrorise', prosecutors claim, including being deprived of food and forced to stand for hours on end. Arthur was also repeatedly poisoned with salt, the court heard.

The schoolboy died from 'unsurvivable brain injuries' a day after being allegedly attacked by Tustin at her home near Solihull, West Midlands. Tustin and Hughes deny murder and multiple counts of child cruelty.

A trial at Coventry Crown Court was today told how Arthur's body was found to be covered in bruises.

Home Office pathologist Matthew Lyle identified 93 areas of injury, including on Arthur's head, arms, legs, feet, torso, buttocks and back.

 

[elliefant]

We really do need a button for thank you to the poster, instead of it saying “you like this”

 

[HollyHunter9]

Boy, six, 'murdered by his father and stepmother' suffered nearly 100 injuries, court hears | Daily Mail Online

'That burden of bruising is very much to my mind indicative of non-accidental trauma here.' Prosecutors allege Tustin delivered Arthur's fatal injuries and that Hughes 'intentionally encouraged' the killing.
They are both claimed to have neglected and abused Arthur, who sobbed in one recording played in court: 'No-one loves me.'

I don't think I can read anymore horrific details of what that poor boy went through. It's utterly heartbreaking

 

[SpursGyal]

We see it all too often here, but I can’t fathom how someone can hurt their child like this.

Continuous torture. Standing up at a door for 12 hours a day not being allowed to sit or lean, is torture.
There is a special place in hell waiting…

 

[Ironside]

Even denying him liquids alone is absolutely disgusting child abuse. I think she’d deliberately cover his food in salt so he wouldn’t eat it then he’d get liquids denied for not eating his food. What incredibly cruel behaviour.

 

[SpursGyal]

Even denying him liquids alone is absolutely disgusting child abuse. I think she’d deliberately cover his food in salt so he wouldn’t eat it then he’d get liquids denied for not eating his food. What incredibly cruel behaviour.

I think this is exactly what happened. She never showed that boy any love. They’ve documented their abuse through all the messages and the cctv in their house.

Making him sleep on a blanket on the floor while there are beds upstairs. Waking him up by ripping the blanket from beneath him. Not an ounce of love or care for that boy and it’s heartbreaking to read.

 

[elliefant]

Even denying him liquids alone is absolutely disgusting child abuse. I think she’d deliberately cover his food in salt so he wouldn’t eat it then he’d get liquids denied for not eating his food. What incredibly cruel behaviour.

Yes indeed. I think they wanted to deny him drinks to make him suffer and when he wasn’t suffering enough for their liking they used salt to make him even more desperate for a drink which they would withhold. There is nothing other than pure evil in their motivation and actions.

 

[Tortoise]

Ms Milhench told the court Arthur was given a ham sandwich and made to eat it at the door while Tustin's other two children, who were with her, had a picnic in the garden.

She told the court Tustin said Arthur spat out the sandwich and that it was "rude to spit things out" so she took the sandwich away from him.

Asked whether Arthur was given a drink, Ms Milhench replied: "No."

Arthur treated cruelly as kids had picnic outside, hairdresser says



I bet he spat it out because she'd laced it with salt.