UK - Logan Mwangi, 5, found dead in Wales River, Bridgend, 31 July 2021 *arrests, inc. minor* #3

[Sooty]

Before we called the police we agreed on what would be said'
Defendant John Cole is asked by Angharad Williams' barrister, Peter Rouch QC, about evidence from a neighbour who heard a woman shouting: “What have you done to my son” and heard a man responding: “I haven’t done anything to your son…. He may be with someone else."

Mr Rouch said: “Did you say that?” Cole said: “No.”

Mr Rouch said: “Did Angharad say: ‘Why is he with her? If he is with her, why?’.”

Cole said: “In the morning when we reported Logan missing we put on a load of theatrics for the neighbours and [the youth]. We reported him missing and we knew it was wrong.”

Mr Rouch claims Cole told Williamson that Logan may have been taken by the woman Williamson later told police had taken Logan Cole said: “I never said that.” He added: “Before we called the police we agreed on what would be said."

Concluding his cross-examination, Mr Rouch said: “On that Friday when his room was decontaminated and sheets being washed his bed was made for him as it would for any five-year-old child.”

Cole said: “His sheet did not go back on his bed. I’m admitting to perverting the course of justice so why wouldn’t I admit to washing a sheet? I’ve admitted to carrying a dead body.”

Mr Rouch has finished his questions.

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[RusselSprout]

who is next, the youths lawyer?

 

[nothinonyou]

For sure. On one of my trials I took the family members/witnesses for a tour of the courtroom the week before to prepare them. The suitcase that the victim from the trial that was taking place at that time had been placed in, had been left in that empty courtroom and that ‘feeling’ is with me to this day, 13 years on, and it wasn’t even one of my cases.

At that moment you have no choice but to picture a dead body in there and someone trying to cram a body in the bag... makes me nauseous

 

[Alyce]

who is next, the youths lawyer?

yes I think so…and then the prosecution

 

[Sooty]

Cole cross-examined by barrister representing the youth
John Hipkin QC, for the youth defendant, is now cross-examining John Cole. He asks about July 30 last year.

Mr Hipkin asks what Logan had for breakfast. Cole said: “Weetabix.”

Mr Hipkin said: “He didn’t have a problem eating breakfast but he had a problem eating pizza and chips. Was that his favourite?” Cole said: “That was his favourite.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Was he complaining to a pain to his stomach?” Cole said: “Later in the evening yes, when we tried to feed him a second time.”

Mr Hipkin said: “How many times was Logan put in the naughty corner on that Friday?” Cole said: “I think it was four times.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Why was he put in the naughty corner for?” Cole said: “For throwing things out of the room, jumping on the furniture…..”

Mr Hipkin said: “So for part of the day he was showing energy.” Cole said: “Yes.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Was he put in the corner by you, Angharad, or you together?” Cole said: “Me, Angharad, or both of us together.”

Mr Hipkin said: “In the naughty corner he would pinch and bite himself. He would self-harm. Did either you or his mother think that was a bad thing?” Cole said: “Obviously yes.”

Mr Hipkin said: “But that was persisted in even though the effect on Logan was obvious?”

Cole said: “Yes. We would ask him not to pinch himself or bite himself.”

Mr Hipkin said: “The reason why he did was being put in the naughty corner?”

Cole said: “When he was put in the naughty corner or was asked to do something he didn’t want to do.”

Mr Hipkin said: “The phrase ‘Stop waffling’ [Williamson] said. When would she say this?”

Cole said: “When [Logan] asked her different things or tried to get her attention.”

Mr Hipkin said: “A child with a stutter told to stop waffling.”

Cole said: “It wasn’t said in an aggressive way.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Shut up?”

Cole said: “To a point yes.

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[ChloLo]

who is next, the youths lawyer?

I would think youth then prosecution last.

 

[LucyRocket]

Not a chance with his criminal record.

The DBS system used in Wales would've flagged his record up.

Would have flagged it up, but wouldn’t have made a difference. I’ve been instructed to employ people, within the care sector, with previous convictions. As long as they were not very recent (JC’s were 15 years historical)

 

[ChloLo]

As long as he was honest about them, the convictions wouldn’t necessarily have stopped him from working in care.

 

[Sooty]

Barrister continues to question Cole
John Hipkin QC, cross-examining John Cole on behalf of the youth defendant, turns to claims Cole made in his prepared statements to police.

The barrister said: “You said [Logan] would sometimes start saying about [Angharad Williamson] being in bed with Ben [Mwangi, Logan's father]. She would grab him and shout at him and he would think it was funny. [You said] she did it on the Friday and said: ‘Stop *advertiser censored**** lying’. Did that happen on the Friday?”

Cole said: “Yes I believe so.”

Mr Hipkin said: “How did she say the words: ‘Stop *advertiser censored***** lying’ to her five-year-old son?”

Cole said: “As in: '‘Stop *advertiser censored***** lying’.”

The barrister asked if Williamson lifted Logan off the floor by his collar. Cole said: “Yes.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Was that before or after you smacked him to the head?”

Cole said: “I think that was afterwards when I clipped him in the afternoon.”

Mr Hipkin said: “You said: ‘We both grabbed him and I threw him on the bed’. Is that true?”

Cole said: “I put him down – it wasn’t like I forcefully threw him.”

Mr Hipkin said: “You said after the top ripped Angharad threw him on the bed. Is that true?” Cole said: “Yes."

Mr Hipkin said: “Why can’t you say how he landed?” Cole said: “Because I turned round…. I didn’t throw him with force, I literally dumped him on the bed and walked out.”

Mr Hipkin said: “You said Angharad went to smack him and caught him on the cheek. Did she strike him to the face?”

Cole said: “Yes but it wasn’t a punch or done with any major force. She went to catch him on the head but caught him on the cheek when he turned.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Angharad said Logan was put on the toilet and he became stuck.” Cole said: “I don’t remember that no.”

Mr Hipkin said: “You said she would look up tools to perform certain acts like Pimple Popper. A TMI accessory for tragus removal from Dr Pimple Popper. Who had a piercing in that area?”

Cole said: “I believe Angharad has.”

Mr Hipkins asked if Logan would be “happy” to see the youth. Cole agreed.

The barrister said: “Logan suffered an off-ended fracture to his arm….. You said Angharad thought it was an injury to his shoulder and said she was going to put it back. How did she go about putting it back?"

Cole said: “She tried to pop it back in the socket.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Did she hold the shoulder immobile and twist the arm?”

Cole said: “Yes.”

Mr Hipkin said: “And when the arm was twisted is that when lo and behold there was a click?”

Cole said: “I believe so.”

Mr Hipkin said: “Did she take Logan to hospital that day?”

Cole said: “No, she took him the next day when his arm was still floppy and I said she needed to take him to hospital.”

Mr Hipkin has finished his cross-examination.

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[LucyRocket]

I know I’m ‘preaching to the converted’ as they say, in this thread. But if you fancy having a ramble with me, put on your walking boots.

When we got our puppy, I made sure to do as much research as I could, so that I could be the best puppy mum. Against the grain for me, I have experimented with the advised “this breed doesn’t respond well to strict or punitive training, they are more willing to please so need a gentle, playful approach”. My pup is now 2 and a half years old and even today I tested it, when it was instinctive to shout and threaten her not to go into next door’s garden, she looked at me with defiance and ran in that direction. So I peeked at her out the back door on all fours, slapped my hands on the floor and said “Here’s my good girl!” In an excited voice, and she came bounding over.

My point being, a child is as innocent and responsive as a puppy, still learning, eager to please. Even being sent to a ‘naughty corner’ would be distressing, all chances of learning end there. Calling out to your parent would be instinctive, and each time you do the clock starts again. No win situation. That’s NOT positive parenting

 

[Sooty]

'I don’t believe Angharad would have hurt him'
Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC begins her cross-examination of defendant John Cole.

She said: “You said Angharad was the last person who saw Logan alive and you said Angharad said she had heard his last breath. When did you last see Logan alive?” Cole said: “About midnight.”

Ms Rees said: “He had been playing up that evening and you took yourself off to bed. Was he alive and well?” Cole said: “He was alive, he was still misbehaving.”

Ms Rees said: “Did you see any injuries to Logan before he went to bed?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “You’ve heard the evidence about the pathology. Blunt force trauma with extreme force, forceful blows, and kicks. Did you see that happen?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “The next time you saw him he was dead having been attacked. You said Angharad was the only person with him when he sustained those injuries?” Cole said: “I don’t believe Angharad would have hurt him. I don’t know what happened.”

Ms Rees asks if Williamson or the youth caused Logan’s injuries. Cole said: “I don’t know.”

The barrister asked if Cole asked Williamson for an explanation. Cole said: “She said it was a freak accident…. I didn’t know what to think.”

He added: “I didn’t want to know the answer, I knew I didn’t kill him….. The answer I was going to get was too horrific to even know the answer…. That it would be [the youth] or Angharad, I didn’t want to know.”

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[KarenUK]

Ms Rees said: “He had been playing up that evening and you took yourself off to bed. Was he alive and well?” Cole said: “He was alive, he was still misbehaving.”

RSBM & BBM

I could roll my eyes out the back of my head at this sort of statement. All of these trials we've had recently (Arthur Labinjo Hughes most obviously), even after death it's still the fault of the naughty child.

 

[ChloLo]

Some parenting approaches advocate for ‘time out’. The barrister was stating the correct recommended time in time out 1 minute for each year old. Saying that JCs use of time out was incorrect and punative.

 

[Sooty]

I don’t know what happened, I’ve been trying to figure it out for the last eight months'
John Cole, who is being cross-examined by prosecutor Caroline Rees QC, was asked if he was trying to protect the youth defendant.

Ms Rees said: “Do you not want to tell the jury [the youth] killed Logan?” Cole said: “I don’t believe he did. I don’t know what happened, I’ve been trying to figure it out for the last eight months… I’m not pointing the finger at anybody because I don’t know.”

Ms Rees said: “Are you not pointing the finger because it was you, Mr Cole, or it was all three of you working together?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “From that moment on when you found Logan dead it didn’t take you long to move to the plan to get rid of him and cover it up.”

Cole said: “I wasn’t like that, I did CPR on him and I don’t know. Just panic.”

Ms Rees said: “It was 45 minutes from you finding him dead and dumping him in the river like rubbish.” Cole said: “It wasn’t like that but yes.”

Ms Rees said: “And then you put on that pantomime on the video when the police arrive.” Cole said: "Yes…. I tried to lead the police to where Logan was.”

Ms Rees said: “That was all made up wasn’t it?” Cole said: “Yes.”

Ms Rees said: “Everything we saw you do was an act.” Cole said: “Yes.”

Ms Rees said: “A course of deception you and Angharad Williamson decided on in the early hours of the morning.” Cole said: “Yes.”

Ms Rees said: “And everything we saw Angharad Williamson do was an act wasn’t it?” Cole said: “Yes.”

Ms Rees said: “Angharad is someone who can put on a performance?” Cole said: “From what I seen on the video but it wasn’t like she can do it all the time.”

Ms Rees said: “She can turn on her emotions on and off?” Cole said: “From what [witness] Joanne Brooks said but I can’t answer that.”

Ms Rees said: “Do you remember fits she appeared to have – was that put on?”

Cole said: “I don’t believe so – she had a lot of seizures.”

Ms Rees said: “But you can’t rule it out?” Cole said: “I don’t believe she did I’ve seen Angharad have a lot of seizures.”

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[HongKongPhooey]

'I don’t believe Angharad would have hurt him'
Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC begins her cross-examination of defendant John Cole.

She said: “You said Angharad was the last person who saw Logan alive and you said Angharad said she had heard his last breath. When did you last see Logan alive?” Cole said: “About midnight.”

Ms Rees said: “He had been playing up that evening and you took yourself off to bed. Was he alive and well?” Cole said: “He was alive, he was still misbehaving.”

Ms Rees said: “Did you see any injuries to Logan before he went to bed?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “You’ve heard the evidence about the pathology. Blunt force trauma with extreme force, forceful blows, and kicks. Did you see that happen?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “The next time you saw him he was dead having been attacked. You said Angharad was the only person with him when he sustained those injuries?” Cole said: “I don’t believe Angharad would have hurt him. I don’t know what happened.”

Ms Rees asks if Williamson or the youth caused Logan’s injuries. Cole said: “I don’t know.”

The barrister asked if Cole asked Williamson for an explanation. Cole said: “She said it was a freak accident…. I didn’t know what to think.”

He added: “I didn’t want to know the answer, I knew I didn’t kill him….. The answer I was going to get was too horrific to even know the answer…. That it would be [the youth] or Angharad, I didn’t want to know.”

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

He’s bringing the youth in here as a possibility. That’s new isn’t it, apart from what he allegedly said to the prison officer?

 

[Spoony]

I'm not buying he was self harming. Especially the pinching. Biting could be proved forensically by teeth size. JC seems to have made a thing out of saying it quite often which irks me. I know who I'm swerving towards doing it to him.

IMO

 

[Sooty]

I’ve felt numb ever since this thing happened'
Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC, who is cross-examining defendant John Cole, makes reference to the 999 call when Logan was reported missing by Angharad Williamson.

She said: “All that wailing and apparent crying in the phone call was all lying?” Cole said: “Yes.”

Ms Rees said: “Was that how you decided she would behave together in that phone call?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “What do you think about the [999] call?” Cole said: “Her son had just died so I believe there is proper emotion there.”

Ms Rees said: “But he hadn’t gone missing and he hadn’t been snatched in the night?” Ms Rees said: “No.”

The defendant was asked how he felt about the deception. He said: “I didn’t feel anything. I’ve felt numb ever since this thing happened.”

Ms Rees said: “You’re acting as well, pointing at the locks and window alarms.”

Cole said: “I just kind of went all with that saying he was going missing.”

Ms Rees said: “Adding gloss to your lies?” Cole said: “It looks that way.”

The prosecutor refers to the lies the couple told to friends.

She said: “[Williamson] was even deceiving her close friend Rhiannon Hales and so were you.”

Cole said: “Yes... I didn’t call Rhiannon over, I didn’t want to make her an accessory to what we were already an accessory to…. The moment I moved Logan to the river I regretted it. I’m disgusted and I should pay for it and I will pay for it but I wasn’t going to implicate somebody else.”

Ms Rees said: “And Angharad carried on the act when she went to hospital to see Logan’s body.”

Cole said: “I weren’t there.”

The barrister added: “Angharad likes to be the centre of attention.”

Cole replied: "I wouldn’t say that... When she was with me she became more confident.”

Ms Rees said: “Was she scared of you?”

Cole said: “No, I’ve never touched Angharad and she knows that.”

Ms Rees said: “Did you ever threaten to kill Logan if she left you?” Cole said: “No, we were that close nothing would break us up. What has broken us up is this situation.”

Ms Rees asks the defendant about Williamson’s call to the police claiming the youth had pushed Logan down the stairs.

She said: “We know [the youth] pushed Logan down the stairs.” Cole said: “I’ve heard that yes.”

Ms Rees said: “Did you know she was making that phone call?” Cole said: “No.”

The defendant said the youth had never confessed to him he had pushed Logan down the stairs.

In a change of topic Ms Rees said: “Did Angharad have trouble sleeping?” Cole said: “Not really.”

Ms Rees said: “Would the medication knock her out?” Cole said: “No, if she had tablets she weren’t used to it would have an effect on her but it wouldn’t knock her out.”

The defendant was asked if he or the youth used Williamson’s phone to watch Dr Pimple Popper videos or to access her banking. Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “You were aware she suffered violence in a previous relationship. Is that why there were alarms on the window?”

Cole said: “She said she had been given the house due to domestic violence.”
Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[Sooty]

It was a deliberate lie to cover up an assault and that’s how clever and manipulative you and Angharad Williamson can be when you work together'
The jury are referred back to John Cole’s claim that Angharad Williamson burnt her son Logan Mwangi on the back of his neck with a hot tea spoon she had just removed from hot coffee.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC, cross-examining Cole, said: “I want to ask about the incident of the tea spoon. That was a deliberate cruel act.”

Cole said: “She didn’t do it purposely like that. It was a spur of the moment thing... She regretted the moment she did it..”

Ms Rees said: “How old was Logan when she did this?”

Cole said: “Five,”

Ms Rees said: “How did he react to having a scalding hot spoon put on the back of his neck?”

Cole said: “He jumped [and said] ‘ow’.”

Ms Rees said: “It burnt that little boy didn’t it?”

Cole said: “I put ice on it and told her she shouldn’t have done it…. She didn’t believe it was as bad as it turned out.”

Ms Rees said: “You lied about that didn’t you?”

Cole said: “I said to her: 'You can’t do things like that (because of) social services'.”

Ms Rees said: “How long did it take you to make up the story about him burning it on the taps?”

Cole said: “The next day.”

Ms Rees said: “And you said the thermostat was too hot.”

Cole said: “We said it was the tap and the thermostat got mentioned.”

Ms Rees said: “Who came up with the idea of the taps?”

Cole said: “Me.”

Ms Rees said: “Did you tell Logan to lie about it?”

Cole said: “Yes.”

Ms Rees said: “Did you have to hit him to get him to agree to that?”

Cole said: “No… I believe Angharad just asked him to say it was the tap.”

Ms Rees said: “You lied to social services and they fell for it?”

Cole said: “Yes.”

The prosecutor added: “It was a deliberate lie to cover up an assault and that’s how clever and manipulative you and Angharad Williamson can be when you work together.”

Cole said: “It wasn’t like that but yes.”

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[Sooty]

Defendant is asked about martial arts
John Cole, who is being cross-examined by prosecutor Caroline Rees QC, was asked about his comment to a friend about the youth defendant after Logan’s body had been found.

The defendant said: “He kind of shut down emotionally, he weren’t accepting his emotions. He had just shut down.”

Ms Rees said: “We’ve heard some evidence about him celebrating.”

Cole was asked why he didn’t seem concerned about Logan in this conversation. He said: “Unfortunately Logan was already dead.”

Ms Rees said: “Does that mean because he was dead he was disposable at that point?” Cole said: “Not at all.”

Ms Rees said: “Is it because you knew [the youth] had killed Logan and you were worried about him?” Cole said: “No.”

Ms Rees said: “Or all three of you had killed him and you were worried about the consequences?” The defendant denied this.

The prosecutor asked about martial arts. Ms Rees said: “You can cause damage through martial arts?”

Cole said: “I was always taught it was protection.”

Ms Rees said: “But you could cause some damage by working together.” Cole said: “That didn’t happen.”

Logan Mwangi murder trial latest as John Cole continues evidence

 

[Alyce]

He’s bringing the youth in here as a possibility. That’s new isn’t it, apart from what he allegedly said to the prison officer?

He's running out of options really isn't he. If he did nothing and he doesn't believe AW would have done anything, there's not much left for him to go with.