Logan Mwangi murder trial continues with defendant giving evidence
Logan Mwangi murder trial continues with John Cole to give evidence – follow live from court
30 March 2022
11:17KEY EVENT
Used to get Logan to do press-ups to 'burn up energy'
Defendant John Cole, Logan Mwangi's stepfather, was asked by his barrister David Elias QC how he and his partner and co-defendant Angharad Williamson punished Logan.
He said: “Put him in his bedroom and put him in the naughty corner. We got him to sit there until he calmed down…. In the closest one….. Five minutes, 10 minutes at times.”
Mr Elias said: “Were there any occasions you got him to do press-ups?”
Cole said: “Yes to burn up energy. When he was running around and hyperactive we’d burn off that energy.”
Mr Elias said: “Did you discuss doing that with Angharad?”
Cole said: “Yes. She didn’t disagree with it.”
The defendant was also asked about not letting Logan eat certain foods.
Cole said: “We used to have takeaway nights and stuff. If he’d been really naughty we wouldn’t have given him the takeaway but we’d give him other food….. It happened probably three or four times.”
Mr Elias said: “How was your relationship with Logan?”
Cole said: “I still tried with him every day, spent time with him, taught him phonics, taught him to shuffle, do you want more…. I was teaching him to read, how to draw, how to colour.”
11:27PHILIP DEWEY
Defendant asked about relationship with Logan
Defendant John Cole is asked by his barrister David Elias QC if there was any change in the relationship he had with Logan.
Cole said there was an incident which was referred to by someone "saying I struggled with Logan" but added: "Other than that, no really."
Mr Elias said: "What about Angharad [Williamson] and Logan?”
Cole said: “Angharad spent a lot less time with him…”
The defendant said Logan went to school until Covid but then there were periods of isolation.
11:34PHILIP DEWEY
Cole says he never used or threatened violence against Williamson
John Cole was asked again about his relationship with Angharad Williamson.
David Elias QC, who is representing Cole, said: “Did you argue?”
Cole said: “Yes at times.”
Mr Elias said: “Were they loud?”
Cole said: “Yes. We’re both quite vocal people.”
Mr Elias said: “Did you both do a lot of shouting at [Logan]?”
Cole said: “We both did yes.”
Mr Elias said: “Did you use or threaten any violence against Angharad?”
Cole said: “Never.”
Mr Elias said: “The jury heard about an incident in the kitchen from Jodie Simmonds.”
Cole said: “Yeah I heard that…..I remember exactly the incident she was talking about…. Me and Angharad had an argument, she was screaming in my face, I pushed her to the side and walked out of the room.”
11:48KEY EVENT
Defendant says partner burned Logan with teaspoon
Defendant John Cole, who is giving evidence, was asked about Logan’s broken arm in 2020.
His barrister David Elias QC askd: “Were you aware of any injuries to Logan? Logan suffered a broken arm in August 2020. Do you know anything about an incident where he fell down the stairs?”
Cole said: “Yes…. It was in Maesglas.”
Mr Elias said: “Did you hear anything happen?”
Cole said: “We heard him fall down the stairs…. Angharad tried to put his arm back into place.”
Mr Elias said: “Was anybody upstairs with Logan?”
Cole said: “Nobody.”
Mr Elias said: “Who treated him at the house?”
Cole said: “Angharad.”
Mr Elias said: “How did he seem?”
Cole said: “Okay until the next morning and then it was at the point he needed to go to hospital so Angharad took him to hospital… They put his arm in a sling and sent him home.”
Mr Elias said: “Did that give you any concerns about Logan?”
Cole said: “No.”
Mr Elias said: "The jury also heard about a burn on Logan’s neck?"
Cole said: “Basically me and Angharad were in the kitchen. He was running around, being quite boisterous. Angharad took the teaspoon out of her coffee and put it on the back of his neck.”
Mr Elias said: “Were you concerned about that?”
Cole said: “Yes, she said it wasn’t a big deal and her dad used to do it to her. I said: ‘You can’t do that’ and we reported it to social services as an [accidental] burn.”
Mr Elias said: “Did you agree to go along with that?”
Cole said: “Unfortunately yes.”
The defendant was also asked about a fracture to Logan’s collarbone several weeks before his death.
Mr Elias said: “Were you aware at any stage of last year of a fracture that he had?”
Cole said: “I weren’t aware of a fracture. I know he hurt his shoulder after falling off a wheelchair but neither of us were aware of a fracture.”
The defendant said he and Williamson were trying to capture a snake in the garden when Logan caused that injury.
Mr Elias said: “Was he in pain?”
Cole said: “No, he had a mark by his shoulder but it didn’t look broken.”
Mr Elias said: “Did he miss school?”
Cole said: “No.”
Mr Elias said: “Did Logan have any medical treatment?”
Cole said: “We don’t believe he needed it.”
Cole was asked about comments Logan made about Williamson and his biological father.
Mr Elias said: “Was there a time Angharad saw Ben [Mwangi]?”
Cole said: “Angharad paid for Logan to go down on the train to see his dad.”
Mr Elias said: “Were you concerned about that?”
Cole said: “Not at the time….. When they came back Logan said his mother and father were sleeping in the same bed and were kissing. We had a number of conversations about it. Angharad said it never happened and I said: ‘Fair enough’.”
Mr Elias said: “Did Logan mention it again?”
Cole said: “A number of times, when he got in trouble….. ‘Mummy and Daddy were kissing’."
Mr Elias said: “How did you react?”
Cole said: “I just ignored it.”
Mr Elias said: “Did Angharad ever react to that?”
Cole said: “A couple of times... She grabbed him and told him to stop *advertiser censored****** lying. [Grabbed] him by the biceps and shook him.”
He said this happened twice – once on the Thursday or Friday before Logan died.
Mr Elias added: “Had you given Angharad information about your previous convictions
Cole said: “Yes.”
Mr Elias said: “Did she have a copy of your previous convictions?”
Cole said: “Yes…so she was aware of that and the person I used to be. So no-one could drop that on her.”
The trial adjourns for a 15-minute break.