I just want to add to the discussions around the benefits discussion. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is only claimable until 16yo, after 16 it becomes Personal Independence Payment (PIP). It’s a completely separate not means tested benefit. Also it’s odd that the social worker mentioned tax credits when they are being phased out and replaced by UC, any new claims have to be for UC.
UK - Logan Mwangi, 5, found dead in Wales River, Bridgend, 31 July 2021 *arrests, inc. minor*
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Tortoise
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For some reason it's been delayed
Cardiff Crown Court 5 T20217285
T20217383
T20217385
***** *****
Angharad Williamson
John Mark Cole
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 10:11
https://www.thelawpages.com/court-hearings-lists/Cardiff-Crown-Court.php
Cardiff Crown Court 5 T20217285
T20217383
T20217385
***** *****
Angharad Williamson
John Mark Cole
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 10:11
https://www.thelawpages.com/court-hearings-lists/Cardiff-Crown-Court.php
nothinonyou
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there was a big delay yesterday as well they didn't get underway until like 4pm
Tortoise
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Cardiff Crown Court 5 T20217285
T20217383
T20217385
***** *****
Angharad Williamson
John Mark Cole
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 10:11
Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:25
it's back on
T20217383
T20217385
***** *****
Angharad Williamson
John Mark Cole
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 10:11
Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:25
it's back on
Tortoise
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10:56PHILIP DEWEY
'Calculated plot to manipulate and mislead the police'
The trial resumes.
Prosecution barrister Caroline Rees QC continues to deliver her opening to the jury.
The next topic to be discussed in detail is the 999 call Angharad Williamson made to police on the morning of July 31.
She said: “The Prosecution say that having disposed of Logan and the incriminating torn pyjama top, the defendants set about putting a plan together to cover up the true circumstances of his death.
“Within just three hours of Logan’s body being carried from the house with, we say, the full knowledge of Angharad Williamson, she was engaged actively and deliberately in a calculated plot to manipulate and mislead the police, friends and family into believing that her son Logan had gone missing in the night.
“She telephoned the police via a 999 call to report Logan as missing. You will hear that call played to you in full in the course of evidence in the trial.
“To anyone who hadn’t seen the CCTV of the events of the early hours of July 31, it might sound like a heartfelt call of distress from a mother reporting her child missing. But with knowledge of the CCTV and the proof that Angharad Williamson knew exactly what was going on that night, the prosecution say that the 999 call is in fact chilling in that it demonstrates the extent to which Williamson was prepared to lie and her ability to put on a performance to save her own skin, even when dealing with the death of her own 5-year-old child.”
The barrister said Williamson blamed another woman and suggested police should go to her house to look for Logan.
Ms Rees added: “This again is a callous attempt to send the police off in the wrong direction so that the spotlight is not shone on any of the defendants in the case. John Cole and (the youth) wandered the streets shouting ‘Logan’ and pretending to look for him, asking people they met if they had seen a little boy. It was, as the CCTV shows, all an act.”
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
'Calculated plot to manipulate and mislead the police'
The trial resumes.
Prosecution barrister Caroline Rees QC continues to deliver her opening to the jury.
The next topic to be discussed in detail is the 999 call Angharad Williamson made to police on the morning of July 31.
She said: “The Prosecution say that having disposed of Logan and the incriminating torn pyjama top, the defendants set about putting a plan together to cover up the true circumstances of his death.
“Within just three hours of Logan’s body being carried from the house with, we say, the full knowledge of Angharad Williamson, she was engaged actively and deliberately in a calculated plot to manipulate and mislead the police, friends and family into believing that her son Logan had gone missing in the night.
“She telephoned the police via a 999 call to report Logan as missing. You will hear that call played to you in full in the course of evidence in the trial.
“To anyone who hadn’t seen the CCTV of the events of the early hours of July 31, it might sound like a heartfelt call of distress from a mother reporting her child missing. But with knowledge of the CCTV and the proof that Angharad Williamson knew exactly what was going on that night, the prosecution say that the 999 call is in fact chilling in that it demonstrates the extent to which Williamson was prepared to lie and her ability to put on a performance to save her own skin, even when dealing with the death of her own 5-year-old child.”
The barrister said Williamson blamed another woman and suggested police should go to her house to look for Logan.
Ms Rees added: “This again is a callous attempt to send the police off in the wrong direction so that the spotlight is not shone on any of the defendants in the case. John Cole and (the youth) wandered the streets shouting ‘Logan’ and pretending to look for him, asking people they met if they had seen a little boy. It was, as the CCTV shows, all an act.”
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
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11:04PHILIP DEWEY
'Angharad Williamson playing the part of a distraught mother to the full extent of her acting abilities'
Ms Rees now turns to the police’s visit to Williamson’s home in Lower Llansantffraid upon receiving the missing person report.
She said: “You will in the course of evidence be shown a recording from a body worn camera of one of the officers who attended in response to the 999 call. You will see the shameful behaviour of all three of the defendants as they try and manipulate the police into believing Logan has gone missing. Angharad Williamson is the most dramatic, wailing and shouting, playing the part of a distraught mother to the full extent of her acting abilities.
“One of her closest friends arrives, Rhiannon Hales, and still Angharad Williamson keeps up the hideous show. You will see John Cole supporting Williamson in that performance by pointing out gates and windows, playing the part of the concerned step dad despite it now being his case that he had dumped Logan in the river only hours earlier.
“And you will see (the youth), wide eyed adopting a baby voice which is in sharp contrast to the tones with which he spoke to the police on arrest only a day later, pretending he has no idea of what is going on. All, the prosecution say, a cold and calculated sham. All three defendants are supporting each other in that recording, still working together as a team as they had done in the early hours of July 31.
11:07PHILIP DEWEY
'Why on earth would the family be doing the laundry?'
On the camera footage taken on a police body worn camera, the sound of a tumble dryer and washing machine could be heard.
Ms Rees said: “Why on earth would the family be doing the laundry as a matter of such urgency in the circumstances? The prosecution suggest that this was to dispose of incriminating evidence and that one of the items laundered was part of Logan’s bedlinen. His bottom sheet can be seen to be missing from the bed on July 31, 2021.”
During a phone call to her mother in prison, Williamson said a blue sheet from Logan’s bed was missing.
Ms Rees said: “When the house was searched on August 4, a navy blue sheet was in fact recovered from the tumble dryer. Was this Logan’s missing bed sheet, laundered to remove incriminating evidence showing what had happened to the child?
“Logan’s duvet and pillow were recovered and found to have small amounts of Logan’s blood on them, consistent with him having been bleeding in bed. You will see that given the busy Paw Patrol pattern on the duvet, the defendants may well have missed these stains in the clean up operation, which was carried out in the early hours of the morning.
“The prosecution ask whether the reason the bed sheet was removed was because it was more incriminating and the staining more obvious.”
11:08PHILIP DEWEY
Logan's body
The court now hears about the discovery of Logan’s body in the River Ogmore.
PC Lauren Keen was the officer who found the boy’s body.
Ms Rees said the jury will be shown footage of the position Logan was found in the river, which has been edited to minimise distress.
PC Keen commenced a search of Pandy Park at 5.55am on July 31 accompanied by another officer called PC Freeth.
The prosecutor said: “They were checking a hedge opening at the most southerly end corner of the park when PC Freeth spotted the body of a child in the river. PC Keen immediately activated her body worn camera and ran to the location, running down a muddy path until she reached the boulders at the bank of the river.
“She saw the body of a young child laying on his right side with his knees bent in an open foetal position. It was Logan.
“She climbed into the river and walked out to where he was and picked Logan up in her arms. She noted he had a head injury. His body was cold and stiff, his lips were blue and his eyes were wide open. There were no signs of life.”
Despite the best efforts of PC Keen, who performed CPR, and paramedics, Logan was pronounced dead at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend at 7.15am.
11:09PHILIP DEWEY
'Feigned shock'
Upon being told of Logan’s death, the prosecution said Williamson “feigned shock” appeared “distraught”, which they described as a performance to put police off the scent.
Mr Rees said: “You will hear evidence from the nurses who attended upon Angharad Williamson when she arrived at the hospital where Logan’s body was resting.
“Despite the fact that she was within close proximity of her five-year-old son’s dead body, the prosecution say that Angharad Williamson put herself first and rather than tell even a grain of truth about what happened in the night, she continued to pretend that Logan must have wandered off into the river.
“The Prosecution ask again – why was she working so hard to protect herself and the other defendants from the truth coming out unless it was to cover up her own involvement in Logan’s death?”
Nurse Rose O’Neill took Williamson to see Logan’s body in hospital and recalled the defendant commenting that she “wished she had taught him to swim”.
Ms Rees said: “The prosecution say that this must have been with the intention of causing others to believe he had met his death by drowning, even though Angharad Williamson must have known this was untrue because she was up and about when his dead body was removed from the home.
“The prosecution say that this comment makes it clear that Williamson’s priority was hiding her true involvement in Logan’s death rather than telling anyone the truth about.”
11:13PHILIP DEWEY
Willamson's 'odd comment'
A further comment from Williamson was overheard by nurse O’neill who heard the defendant speaking to nurse Sarah Thorne and asked why Logan was wet.
Nurse Thorne explained Logan was found in the river and Williamson told her “she was the first person to tell her that”.
Ms Rees said: “Nurse O’Neill, rightly the prosecution say, considered that to be an odd comment given the earlier comment about teaching Logan to swim. The prosecution will say that nurse O’Neill was clearly troubled by Angharad Williamson’s demeanour whilst at the hospital and how Williamson appeared to be performing, giving attention to Logan but that it only happened when the nurse was watching. It was, the prosecution say, all an act.”
11:14KEY EVENT
Logan had 56 different injuries
The jury are now told about the expert medical evidence that will be heard in the trial.
Pathologist Dr John Williams conducted a post mortem on Logan’s body on August 1 at 10am.
Ms Rees said: “In summary, he found that Logan had suffered extensive and catastrophic injuries through blunt force trauma, that is through the use of force on his little body. There were 56 different injuries noted upon external examination, including bruising to most parts of Logan’s head and body.
“Upon internal examination of the head, extensive deep scalp bruising was found to the back of the head and patchy deep scalp bruising to the front of the scalp. There was bruising to the tongue.”
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
'Angharad Williamson playing the part of a distraught mother to the full extent of her acting abilities'
Ms Rees now turns to the police’s visit to Williamson’s home in Lower Llansantffraid upon receiving the missing person report.
She said: “You will in the course of evidence be shown a recording from a body worn camera of one of the officers who attended in response to the 999 call. You will see the shameful behaviour of all three of the defendants as they try and manipulate the police into believing Logan has gone missing. Angharad Williamson is the most dramatic, wailing and shouting, playing the part of a distraught mother to the full extent of her acting abilities.
“One of her closest friends arrives, Rhiannon Hales, and still Angharad Williamson keeps up the hideous show. You will see John Cole supporting Williamson in that performance by pointing out gates and windows, playing the part of the concerned step dad despite it now being his case that he had dumped Logan in the river only hours earlier.
“And you will see (the youth), wide eyed adopting a baby voice which is in sharp contrast to the tones with which he spoke to the police on arrest only a day later, pretending he has no idea of what is going on. All, the prosecution say, a cold and calculated sham. All three defendants are supporting each other in that recording, still working together as a team as they had done in the early hours of July 31.
11:07PHILIP DEWEY
'Why on earth would the family be doing the laundry?'
On the camera footage taken on a police body worn camera, the sound of a tumble dryer and washing machine could be heard.
Ms Rees said: “Why on earth would the family be doing the laundry as a matter of such urgency in the circumstances? The prosecution suggest that this was to dispose of incriminating evidence and that one of the items laundered was part of Logan’s bedlinen. His bottom sheet can be seen to be missing from the bed on July 31, 2021.”
During a phone call to her mother in prison, Williamson said a blue sheet from Logan’s bed was missing.
Ms Rees said: “When the house was searched on August 4, a navy blue sheet was in fact recovered from the tumble dryer. Was this Logan’s missing bed sheet, laundered to remove incriminating evidence showing what had happened to the child?
“Logan’s duvet and pillow were recovered and found to have small amounts of Logan’s blood on them, consistent with him having been bleeding in bed. You will see that given the busy Paw Patrol pattern on the duvet, the defendants may well have missed these stains in the clean up operation, which was carried out in the early hours of the morning.
“The prosecution ask whether the reason the bed sheet was removed was because it was more incriminating and the staining more obvious.”
11:08PHILIP DEWEY
Logan's body
The court now hears about the discovery of Logan’s body in the River Ogmore.
PC Lauren Keen was the officer who found the boy’s body.
Ms Rees said the jury will be shown footage of the position Logan was found in the river, which has been edited to minimise distress.
PC Keen commenced a search of Pandy Park at 5.55am on July 31 accompanied by another officer called PC Freeth.
The prosecutor said: “They were checking a hedge opening at the most southerly end corner of the park when PC Freeth spotted the body of a child in the river. PC Keen immediately activated her body worn camera and ran to the location, running down a muddy path until she reached the boulders at the bank of the river.
“She saw the body of a young child laying on his right side with his knees bent in an open foetal position. It was Logan.
“She climbed into the river and walked out to where he was and picked Logan up in her arms. She noted he had a head injury. His body was cold and stiff, his lips were blue and his eyes were wide open. There were no signs of life.”
Despite the best efforts of PC Keen, who performed CPR, and paramedics, Logan was pronounced dead at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend at 7.15am.
11:09PHILIP DEWEY
'Feigned shock'
Upon being told of Logan’s death, the prosecution said Williamson “feigned shock” appeared “distraught”, which they described as a performance to put police off the scent.
Mr Rees said: “You will hear evidence from the nurses who attended upon Angharad Williamson when she arrived at the hospital where Logan’s body was resting.
“Despite the fact that she was within close proximity of her five-year-old son’s dead body, the prosecution say that Angharad Williamson put herself first and rather than tell even a grain of truth about what happened in the night, she continued to pretend that Logan must have wandered off into the river.
“The Prosecution ask again – why was she working so hard to protect herself and the other defendants from the truth coming out unless it was to cover up her own involvement in Logan’s death?”
Nurse Rose O’Neill took Williamson to see Logan’s body in hospital and recalled the defendant commenting that she “wished she had taught him to swim”.
Ms Rees said: “The prosecution say that this must have been with the intention of causing others to believe he had met his death by drowning, even though Angharad Williamson must have known this was untrue because she was up and about when his dead body was removed from the home.
“The prosecution say that this comment makes it clear that Williamson’s priority was hiding her true involvement in Logan’s death rather than telling anyone the truth about.”
11:13PHILIP DEWEY
Willamson's 'odd comment'
A further comment from Williamson was overheard by nurse O’neill who heard the defendant speaking to nurse Sarah Thorne and asked why Logan was wet.
Nurse Thorne explained Logan was found in the river and Williamson told her “she was the first person to tell her that”.
Ms Rees said: “Nurse O’Neill, rightly the prosecution say, considered that to be an odd comment given the earlier comment about teaching Logan to swim. The prosecution will say that nurse O’Neill was clearly troubled by Angharad Williamson’s demeanour whilst at the hospital and how Williamson appeared to be performing, giving attention to Logan but that it only happened when the nurse was watching. It was, the prosecution say, all an act.”
11:14KEY EVENT
Logan had 56 different injuries
The jury are now told about the expert medical evidence that will be heard in the trial.
Pathologist Dr John Williams conducted a post mortem on Logan’s body on August 1 at 10am.
Ms Rees said: “In summary, he found that Logan had suffered extensive and catastrophic injuries through blunt force trauma, that is through the use of force on his little body. There were 56 different injuries noted upon external examination, including bruising to most parts of Logan’s head and body.
“Upon internal examination of the head, extensive deep scalp bruising was found to the back of the head and patchy deep scalp bruising to the front of the scalp. There was bruising to the tongue.”
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
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***WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT DETAILING INJURIES***
11:22PHILIP DEWEY
Full extent of Logan's injuries detailed to the court
The following injuries were discovered during the post mortem:
Dr Williams said the combination of abdominal injuries in this case are not consistent with a fall or collapse and it is his opinion that, in the absence of any explanation such as a “high velocity incident”, the injuries should be considered as consistent with inflicted injury by blows, kicks or impact with a weapon.
He detected a traumatic injury to the brain and changes consistent with survival for a period of at least two hours prior to death.
The examination of the deep scalp injuries suggests, in Dr Lammie’s opinion, a period of survival of up to 48 hours post impact and the hypoxic/ischaemic neuronal injury suggested a period of survival of at least several hours post injury.
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
11:22PHILIP DEWEY
Full extent of Logan's injuries detailed to the court
The following injuries were discovered during the post mortem:
- Catastrophic injuries to the abdomen - including a vertical laceration measuring 5.5cm by 3cm to the interior side of the liver, a 5 cm full thickness tear to the root of the bowel and the degloving of the duodenum involving almost the entire duodenum.
- A haemorrhage over the colon and extensive bleeding throughout the retroperitoneal tissues on the right side of the abdomen extending to the right kidney.
- 300ml of very dark liquid blood within the abdominal cavity.
- Fracture to left clavicle, a healing fracture which was several weeks old.
Dr Williams said the combination of abdominal injuries in this case are not consistent with a fall or collapse and it is his opinion that, in the absence of any explanation such as a “high velocity incident”, the injuries should be considered as consistent with inflicted injury by blows, kicks or impact with a weapon.
- A deep scalp injury consistent with blunt force trauma.
He detected a traumatic injury to the brain and changes consistent with survival for a period of at least two hours prior to death.
The examination of the deep scalp injuries suggests, in Dr Lammie’s opinion, a period of survival of up to 48 hours post impact and the hypoxic/ischaemic neuronal injury suggested a period of survival of at least several hours post injury.
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
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11:28PHILIP DEWEY
'Logan could have survived', Crown says
Commenting on the injuries, Ms Rees said: “It is the prosecution case that the significance of this evidence to be called from Dr Williams and Dr Lammie is that it is capable of proving that Logan was subjected to a serious and sustained assault within the home over a period of time and possibly on more than one occasion.
“The prosecution say that it is incredible to consider that any (of the defendants) could have been unaware of the assault going on or unaware that Logan had been seriously injured and was at high risk of death.
“This contradicts the accounts of each of the defendants at interview, which I will deal with before I conclude the opening of the prosecution case, that they were unaware that Logan had been seriously injured in an unlawful attack.
“The prosecution say that the pathology evidence demonstrates that there would have been an opportunity for earlier action to have been taken as Logan survived the injuries for some time before death. It is the prosecution case that the fact that no defendant chose to do so gives rise to an inference to be drawn that they were seeking to avoid responsibility for their part in the infliction of unlawful injuries upon the five-year-old child.”
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
'Logan could have survived', Crown says
Commenting on the injuries, Ms Rees said: “It is the prosecution case that the significance of this evidence to be called from Dr Williams and Dr Lammie is that it is capable of proving that Logan was subjected to a serious and sustained assault within the home over a period of time and possibly on more than one occasion.
“The prosecution say that it is incredible to consider that any (of the defendants) could have been unaware of the assault going on or unaware that Logan had been seriously injured and was at high risk of death.
“This contradicts the accounts of each of the defendants at interview, which I will deal with before I conclude the opening of the prosecution case, that they were unaware that Logan had been seriously injured in an unlawful attack.
“The prosecution say that the pathology evidence demonstrates that there would have been an opportunity for earlier action to have been taken as Logan survived the injuries for some time before death. It is the prosecution case that the fact that no defendant chose to do so gives rise to an inference to be drawn that they were seeking to avoid responsibility for their part in the infliction of unlawful injuries upon the five-year-old child.”
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
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11:32PHILIP DEWEY
'Clear and obvious'
Ms Rees said Dr Stalker’s findings are “significant evidence” against the defendants because it proved each of them were aware Logan was seriously injured and required urgent medical attention.
She added: “It proves that each defendant must have been lying about this issue in their accounts to the police. The prosecution ask why have they lied about this issue? Not one of the defendants sought medical or indeed any help for Logan despite the desperate state in which he must have been.
“This raises the question of why not? The prosecution case is that that there is a clear and obvious reason for leaving a five-year-old suffer in this awful, awful way – because each of the defendants was involved in the murder and putting their needs first rather than the needs of a seriously injured and dying child.”
11:33PHILIP DEWEY
Short break
A juror has become visibly upset so the court adjourns for a brief break.
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
'Clear and obvious'
Ms Rees said Dr Stalker’s findings are “significant evidence” against the defendants because it proved each of them were aware Logan was seriously injured and required urgent medical attention.
She added: “It proves that each defendant must have been lying about this issue in their accounts to the police. The prosecution ask why have they lied about this issue? Not one of the defendants sought medical or indeed any help for Logan despite the desperate state in which he must have been.
“This raises the question of why not? The prosecution case is that that there is a clear and obvious reason for leaving a five-year-old suffer in this awful, awful way – because each of the defendants was involved in the murder and putting their needs first rather than the needs of a seriously injured and dying child.”
11:33PHILIP DEWEY
Short break
A juror has become visibly upset so the court adjourns for a brief break.
Boy, 5, found in river had 'extreme' injuries, murder case told
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12:02PHILIP DEWEY
Police interviews
The trial resumes.
Ms Rees turns to the arrests and interviews of the defendants.
She said: “It did not take long into the investigation for it to dawn that the three defendants were involved in the death of Logan and that the accounts given to the police of his going missing were bogus and fake. Each defendant was arrested at an address connected with John Cole at Maesglas on August 1, the day after Logan’s body was found.
“In the course of evidence you will be played footage from body worn police cameras which recorded each defendant’s arrest. You will see the change in (the youth’s) demeanour from the apparently wide eyed and baby voiced boy seen in the footage from the day before – at arrest he is hostile and confrontational showing a very different side to his character.
“When he is arrested Angharad Williamson can be heard to shout “You’ve done nothing wrong” which is at total odds with what she was to go on to say in interview and her defence at trial.”
12:05PHILIP DEWEY
Temper tantrums
he court hears about John Cole’s interviews from August 3 to August 4.
Ms Rees said: “(Cole) described Logan as a lovely kid but a ‘handful’ and that parenting Logan could be ‘stressful’.
“During the Covid isolation Logan was having temper tantrums. He described how on Friday July 30, Angharad Williamson had become frustrated with Logan who was making comments about her and his biological father, Ben. He said that she grabbed him and shook him telling him to ‘stop *advertiser censored***** lying’.
“The prepared statement goes on to describe Logan as behaving particularly badly on the evening of July 30. Cole stated that Williamson picked Logan up by the collar of his dinosaur pyjamas, the top of which you will recall was recovered in the wooded area near Pandy Park, so that he was lifted off the floor causing the top to rip.
“Cole said that Williamson threw Logan onto the bed. John Cole stated that he hit Logan across the back of his head using the back of his hand. He said that they had both grabbed and thrown him during the day. At about midnight Logan was still refusing to go to bed and was behaving badly so Cole went to bed, leaving Logan with Williamson.”
12:06BENJAMIN WRIGHT
Screams
In his prepared statement, Cole said he was woken by Williamson screaming “He’s dead. Logan’s dead” and later claimed Williamson had told him it was a “freak accident”.
Ms Rees said: “Logan’s body was lifeless. (Cole) tried to perform CPR but did not succeed. Cole told the police that Williamson then started panicking that (a baby in the house) would be taken from them if this came out and they decided to take Logan’s body from the house.
“John Cole accepted taking Logan’s body to the river and (the youth) had followed him. He said after getting rid of Logan’s body he and (the youth) had returned to the home together when Williamson gave him the ripped pyjama top and said they had to get rid of it as well.
“He and (the youth) went back out and threw the dinosaur top in the bushes. Cole said that (the youth) did not know about Logan’s death or what was going on.
“John Cole admitted that the 999 call, the search and everything said to the police when they attended was untrue and he accepted perverting the course of justice. He said that he and Williamson had discussed confessing that they had lied to the police on Saturday and Sunday but did nothing about it.
“John Cole denied punching Logan to the stomach and said he could not understand where the stomach injuries had come from.”
Cole made further prepared statements during the interviews that followed in which he continued to deny any involvement in killing Logan and maintained his stance from the first prepared statement.
When Williamson’s account in interview that he and (the youth) had assaulted Logan was put to Cole, he said that her account was not true and they had not assaulted Logan as she alleged.”
Mum accused of murdering son, 5, 'feigned shock', court told
Police interviews
The trial resumes.
Ms Rees turns to the arrests and interviews of the defendants.
She said: “It did not take long into the investigation for it to dawn that the three defendants were involved in the death of Logan and that the accounts given to the police of his going missing were bogus and fake. Each defendant was arrested at an address connected with John Cole at Maesglas on August 1, the day after Logan’s body was found.
“In the course of evidence you will be played footage from body worn police cameras which recorded each defendant’s arrest. You will see the change in (the youth’s) demeanour from the apparently wide eyed and baby voiced boy seen in the footage from the day before – at arrest he is hostile and confrontational showing a very different side to his character.
“When he is arrested Angharad Williamson can be heard to shout “You’ve done nothing wrong” which is at total odds with what she was to go on to say in interview and her defence at trial.”
12:05PHILIP DEWEY
Temper tantrums
he court hears about John Cole’s interviews from August 3 to August 4.
Ms Rees said: “(Cole) described Logan as a lovely kid but a ‘handful’ and that parenting Logan could be ‘stressful’.
“During the Covid isolation Logan was having temper tantrums. He described how on Friday July 30, Angharad Williamson had become frustrated with Logan who was making comments about her and his biological father, Ben. He said that she grabbed him and shook him telling him to ‘stop *advertiser censored***** lying’.
“The prepared statement goes on to describe Logan as behaving particularly badly on the evening of July 30. Cole stated that Williamson picked Logan up by the collar of his dinosaur pyjamas, the top of which you will recall was recovered in the wooded area near Pandy Park, so that he was lifted off the floor causing the top to rip.
“Cole said that Williamson threw Logan onto the bed. John Cole stated that he hit Logan across the back of his head using the back of his hand. He said that they had both grabbed and thrown him during the day. At about midnight Logan was still refusing to go to bed and was behaving badly so Cole went to bed, leaving Logan with Williamson.”
12:06BENJAMIN WRIGHT
Screams
In his prepared statement, Cole said he was woken by Williamson screaming “He’s dead. Logan’s dead” and later claimed Williamson had told him it was a “freak accident”.
Ms Rees said: “Logan’s body was lifeless. (Cole) tried to perform CPR but did not succeed. Cole told the police that Williamson then started panicking that (a baby in the house) would be taken from them if this came out and they decided to take Logan’s body from the house.
“John Cole accepted taking Logan’s body to the river and (the youth) had followed him. He said after getting rid of Logan’s body he and (the youth) had returned to the home together when Williamson gave him the ripped pyjama top and said they had to get rid of it as well.
“He and (the youth) went back out and threw the dinosaur top in the bushes. Cole said that (the youth) did not know about Logan’s death or what was going on.
“John Cole admitted that the 999 call, the search and everything said to the police when they attended was untrue and he accepted perverting the course of justice. He said that he and Williamson had discussed confessing that they had lied to the police on Saturday and Sunday but did nothing about it.
“John Cole denied punching Logan to the stomach and said he could not understand where the stomach injuries had come from.”
Cole made further prepared statements during the interviews that followed in which he continued to deny any involvement in killing Logan and maintained his stance from the first prepared statement.
When Williamson’s account in interview that he and (the youth) had assaulted Logan was put to Cole, he said that her account was not true and they had not assaulted Logan as she alleged.”
Mum accused of murdering son, 5, 'feigned shock', court told
RusselSprout
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I'm having to skim read alot of this, its horrible.
Bluebear15
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Reminds me of the Arthur Libinjo-Hughes case. Everything is the child's fault, including their death.
Rodents...all three of them.
nothinonyou
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the youth sounds like a nasty piece of work, wonder who he got that from...
Tortoise
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12:10PHILIP DEWEY
'No idea'
The court now hears about Williamson’s police interviews, six in total, between August 2 and August 4.
She denied being involved in the murder of Logan or perverting the course of justice.
The defendant was shown CCTV footage and told what other defendants had said but during the first four interviews she maintained she had been asleep between 10.30pm on July 30 until 5.30am on July 31 when she found Logan missing.
She also maintained another woman was responsible for taking her son until she was shown CCTV footage of Cole and the youth leaving the house carrying Logan’s body.
Williamson continued to assert she had “no idea” what happened to Logan.
Ms Rees said: “She expressly told the interviewing officers that she had “no idea how these injuries have occurred”; she was asked if she knew if anyone else had caused injury to Logan and replied ‘no sir’. She specifically stated “no way could it have been (the youth)’.”
12:12PHILIP DEWEY
'A good man but he has a violent, angry streak'
In her fifth interview, Williamson was told she had been seen arguing with the youth who was seen stopping her from leaving the garden.
She told officers she witnessed Cole punch Logan with force to his abdomen on July 29. She said the punch “sent Logan across the hallway” and he landed on the floor.
The defendant said Cole then encouraged the youth to “sweep”’ Logan’s legs and the youth struck Logan, who fell to the floor and hit his head. She said Cole “threatened to kill Logan” if he caused him and his mother to split up.
Ms Rees said: “Williamson then said that she checked Logan and put him to bed and tried to leave the flat and was stopped by (the youth)...
“On the Friday morning there was a further argument between her and Cole but she did not witness any further violence towards Logan and he was fine all day and when he went to bed on Friday night.
“She maintained that she had been asleep when John Cole and (the youth) left with Logan’s body. She says that she has been ‘riddled with guilt’ and had thought Logan had run away during the Friday into the Saturday night due to the injuries from Thursday’s assault and the arguments in the home.”
Williamson told officers she had not previously told them about the assaults as she was “scared of Cole” and he had threatened her and her family, saying “he will kill her now that she has talked”.
She went on to describe Cole as “a good man but he has a violent, angry streak” although she confirmed that he had never been violent towards her.
She said that she accepted that she was guilty of child neglect for failing to report Cole’s treatment of Logan and what had happened on July 29 but denied that she was responsible, either deliberately or accidentally, for Logan’s injuries.
12:13PHILIP DEWEY
Youth's police interviews
Attention now turns to the youth’s six interviews between August 2 and August 4.
In his initial interview, he said there had been no issues with Logan on July 30.
Describing events of July 31, he said he and Cole discussed rubbish in the garden and decided to fly tip some black bags in the river.
He said he and Cole collectd three black bags of rubbish from the back garden, and walked to the river where Cole discarded them.
They returned to the house in Lower Llansantffraid before deciding to check the bags had not got stuck, leaving again 20 minutes later, standing on the bridge and checking the bags had gone down the river before returning to the house again.
The defendant claimed Cole and Williamson later told him Logan was missing and he and Cole went out looking for the five-year-old.
12:14PHILIP DEWEY
Youth told police Williamson 'was kind of hysterical'
In his second interview, the youth said he saw Williamson “tap” Logan on the hand on July 30 and Williamson had picked Logan up around the arm area and shaken him, shouting in his face “tell me the truth”.
He said Cole also shouted at Logan for breaking a toy. He said Logan complained about having an “ouchy” in his stomach and he later saw Williamson taking ice from the freezer.
During his third interview, the youth said Williamson and Cole were “worried” about Logan as he had not eaten his pizza and chips.
He denied being aware of Logan having any injuries and denied “hitting, hurting or injuring” Logan himself.
The defendant also denied knowing Cole was carrying Logan’s body, believing he was carrying bin bags.
He described that Cole grabbed something and put it over his shoulder but he could not describe where he had “grabbed” it from, then stated that it looked like bin bags. He could not describe what was over Cole’s shoulder other than to say it was black.
The youth said he followed Cole but nothing was said between them.
He described Williamson as sounding “kind of hysterical” before he and Cole made a second trip to woodland area.
12:19PHILIP DEWEY
Denial
In his fourth interview, the youth was asked about Cole’s account and he denied hearing Williamson screaming “He’s dead”.
He later admitted he had heard Williamson shouting this but said he could not hear everything due to having problems with his ears.
He maintained he thought Cole was fly tipping rubbish and did not know a dinosaur pyjama top belonging to Logan had been discarded.
The defendant said he also believed Logan had been “snatched” by another woman.
He again denied causing or being aware of any injuries Logan had suffered.
In his final interview, the youth Cole had punched or pushed Logan and denied Cole had encouraged him to hurt Logan.
When asked at the end of the interview if there was anything he wanted to add, the youth said: “Yeah, you can tell (Williamson) to *advertiser censored** off for me”.
Mum accused of murdering son, 5, 'feigned shock', court told
'No idea'
The court now hears about Williamson’s police interviews, six in total, between August 2 and August 4.
She denied being involved in the murder of Logan or perverting the course of justice.
The defendant was shown CCTV footage and told what other defendants had said but during the first four interviews she maintained she had been asleep between 10.30pm on July 30 until 5.30am on July 31 when she found Logan missing.
She also maintained another woman was responsible for taking her son until she was shown CCTV footage of Cole and the youth leaving the house carrying Logan’s body.
Williamson continued to assert she had “no idea” what happened to Logan.
Ms Rees said: “She expressly told the interviewing officers that she had “no idea how these injuries have occurred”; she was asked if she knew if anyone else had caused injury to Logan and replied ‘no sir’. She specifically stated “no way could it have been (the youth)’.”
12:12PHILIP DEWEY
'A good man but he has a violent, angry streak'
In her fifth interview, Williamson was told she had been seen arguing with the youth who was seen stopping her from leaving the garden.
She told officers she witnessed Cole punch Logan with force to his abdomen on July 29. She said the punch “sent Logan across the hallway” and he landed on the floor.
The defendant said Cole then encouraged the youth to “sweep”’ Logan’s legs and the youth struck Logan, who fell to the floor and hit his head. She said Cole “threatened to kill Logan” if he caused him and his mother to split up.
Ms Rees said: “Williamson then said that she checked Logan and put him to bed and tried to leave the flat and was stopped by (the youth)...
“On the Friday morning there was a further argument between her and Cole but she did not witness any further violence towards Logan and he was fine all day and when he went to bed on Friday night.
“She maintained that she had been asleep when John Cole and (the youth) left with Logan’s body. She says that she has been ‘riddled with guilt’ and had thought Logan had run away during the Friday into the Saturday night due to the injuries from Thursday’s assault and the arguments in the home.”
Williamson told officers she had not previously told them about the assaults as she was “scared of Cole” and he had threatened her and her family, saying “he will kill her now that she has talked”.
She went on to describe Cole as “a good man but he has a violent, angry streak” although she confirmed that he had never been violent towards her.
She said that she accepted that she was guilty of child neglect for failing to report Cole’s treatment of Logan and what had happened on July 29 but denied that she was responsible, either deliberately or accidentally, for Logan’s injuries.
12:13PHILIP DEWEY
Youth's police interviews
Attention now turns to the youth’s six interviews between August 2 and August 4.
In his initial interview, he said there had been no issues with Logan on July 30.
Describing events of July 31, he said he and Cole discussed rubbish in the garden and decided to fly tip some black bags in the river.
He said he and Cole collectd three black bags of rubbish from the back garden, and walked to the river where Cole discarded them.
They returned to the house in Lower Llansantffraid before deciding to check the bags had not got stuck, leaving again 20 minutes later, standing on the bridge and checking the bags had gone down the river before returning to the house again.
The defendant claimed Cole and Williamson later told him Logan was missing and he and Cole went out looking for the five-year-old.
12:14PHILIP DEWEY
Youth told police Williamson 'was kind of hysterical'
In his second interview, the youth said he saw Williamson “tap” Logan on the hand on July 30 and Williamson had picked Logan up around the arm area and shaken him, shouting in his face “tell me the truth”.
He said Cole also shouted at Logan for breaking a toy. He said Logan complained about having an “ouchy” in his stomach and he later saw Williamson taking ice from the freezer.
During his third interview, the youth said Williamson and Cole were “worried” about Logan as he had not eaten his pizza and chips.
He denied being aware of Logan having any injuries and denied “hitting, hurting or injuring” Logan himself.
The defendant also denied knowing Cole was carrying Logan’s body, believing he was carrying bin bags.
He described that Cole grabbed something and put it over his shoulder but he could not describe where he had “grabbed” it from, then stated that it looked like bin bags. He could not describe what was over Cole’s shoulder other than to say it was black.
The youth said he followed Cole but nothing was said between them.
He described Williamson as sounding “kind of hysterical” before he and Cole made a second trip to woodland area.
12:19PHILIP DEWEY
Denial
In his fourth interview, the youth was asked about Cole’s account and he denied hearing Williamson screaming “He’s dead”.
He later admitted he had heard Williamson shouting this but said he could not hear everything due to having problems with his ears.
He maintained he thought Cole was fly tipping rubbish and did not know a dinosaur pyjama top belonging to Logan had been discarded.
The defendant said he also believed Logan had been “snatched” by another woman.
He again denied causing or being aware of any injuries Logan had suffered.
In his final interview, the youth Cole had punched or pushed Logan and denied Cole had encouraged him to hurt Logan.
When asked at the end of the interview if there was anything he wanted to add, the youth said: “Yeah, you can tell (Williamson) to *advertiser censored** off for me”.
Mum accused of murdering son, 5, 'feigned shock', court told
Tortoise
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12:29PHILIP DEWEY
Prison guard oveheard Cole saying 'I've got a moral dilemma, court told
Ms Rees refers to comments made by the defendants after their arrest and interviews.
She said: “The prosecution say that each defendant continued to either incriminate themselves or sought to manipulate the position to their own advantage.”
The court heard Cole was heard by a prison guard who escorted him to a court hearing. Following the hearing, he was heard saying “I’ve got a moral dilemma. Do I go down for murder and protect (the youth)?”.
Williamson also made a comment in a letter to a friend which was intended to be passed to her family.
She said: “Adult J (Cole) hurt child L (Logan) and tried to cover it up”. She went on to say she had “nothing to do with Logan’s death”.
Ms Rees said: “The prosecution say that neither Cole nor Williamson told the full truth in either of these post interview accounts because their intention was not to be open and honest about what they had done but rather to manipulate the situation to best suit themselves and deflect attention onto other defendants.
“The prosecution say that these desperate attempts to shine the spotlight on others and away from themselves is another example of seeking to hide their own wrongdoing, just as it was when (a woman) was accused of kidnapping Logan in the 999 call.”
12:30PHILIP DEWEY
Youth said 'I love to punch kids in the head', court told
The court also heard comments were made by the youth by employees of a facility where he is being kept.
On August 14, two weeks after Logan’s death, the youth was heard singing “I love kids. I love kids. I love to punch kids in the head. It’s orgasmic”.
Ms Rees said: “In the light of the mechanism of injury to Logan, the prosecution say that this is a significant comment. It certainly doesn’t demonstrate any sadness at the fact (a five-year-old) has died in traumatic circumstances.”
On August 27, the youth made the following comment. Her said: “I ain’t letting (Cole) take the blame. No way. I might just plead guilty next week. My solicitor knows about all my mental state and I forget stuff. I can’t remember stuff.”
He was also heard saying “I did some bad stuff but I am not allowed to talk about it”.
Ms Rees said: “The prosecution say that this remark is significant. It is the prosecution case that there is an inference to be drawn that the ‘bad stuff’ includes the assault upon Logan.”
12:31KEY EVENT
'Intention to kill'
Concluding her opening remarks, Ms Rees said: “The prosecution’s primary case is that each of the defendants is guilty of murder. We say that each defendant played their part in the death of little five-year-old Logan and it is clear from the terrible injuries which he sustained that that must have been with the intention to kill or at the very least cause really serious injury.
“Whilst the prosecution cannot show exactly what happened behind the closed doors of Lower Llansantffraid, the callous and cold hearted behaviour of each defendant in the time after Logan’s death which can be proved is consistent with them trying to desperately cover up their involvement in his death.
“From dumping the body of Logan in the river as though he was rubbish being fly tipped to making false reports to the police that Logan was missing and acting out a search to put others off the scent, John Cole, Angharad Williamson and (the youth) each prioritised their own self preservation straight away in a manner we say is only consistent with having being involved in the murder of Logan.
“John Cole has admitted count three, perverting the course of justice, but the other defendants even contest that despite what the prosecution will say is compelling evidence to prove their guilt.”
The opening has now finished.
Mum accused of murdering son, 5, 'feigned shock', court told
Prison guard oveheard Cole saying 'I've got a moral dilemma, court told
Ms Rees refers to comments made by the defendants after their arrest and interviews.
She said: “The prosecution say that each defendant continued to either incriminate themselves or sought to manipulate the position to their own advantage.”
The court heard Cole was heard by a prison guard who escorted him to a court hearing. Following the hearing, he was heard saying “I’ve got a moral dilemma. Do I go down for murder and protect (the youth)?”.
Williamson also made a comment in a letter to a friend which was intended to be passed to her family.
She said: “Adult J (Cole) hurt child L (Logan) and tried to cover it up”. She went on to say she had “nothing to do with Logan’s death”.
Ms Rees said: “The prosecution say that neither Cole nor Williamson told the full truth in either of these post interview accounts because their intention was not to be open and honest about what they had done but rather to manipulate the situation to best suit themselves and deflect attention onto other defendants.
“The prosecution say that these desperate attempts to shine the spotlight on others and away from themselves is another example of seeking to hide their own wrongdoing, just as it was when (a woman) was accused of kidnapping Logan in the 999 call.”
12:30PHILIP DEWEY
Youth said 'I love to punch kids in the head', court told
The court also heard comments were made by the youth by employees of a facility where he is being kept.
On August 14, two weeks after Logan’s death, the youth was heard singing “I love kids. I love kids. I love to punch kids in the head. It’s orgasmic”.
Ms Rees said: “In the light of the mechanism of injury to Logan, the prosecution say that this is a significant comment. It certainly doesn’t demonstrate any sadness at the fact (a five-year-old) has died in traumatic circumstances.”
On August 27, the youth made the following comment. Her said: “I ain’t letting (Cole) take the blame. No way. I might just plead guilty next week. My solicitor knows about all my mental state and I forget stuff. I can’t remember stuff.”
He was also heard saying “I did some bad stuff but I am not allowed to talk about it”.
Ms Rees said: “The prosecution say that this remark is significant. It is the prosecution case that there is an inference to be drawn that the ‘bad stuff’ includes the assault upon Logan.”
12:31KEY EVENT
'Intention to kill'
Concluding her opening remarks, Ms Rees said: “The prosecution’s primary case is that each of the defendants is guilty of murder. We say that each defendant played their part in the death of little five-year-old Logan and it is clear from the terrible injuries which he sustained that that must have been with the intention to kill or at the very least cause really serious injury.
“Whilst the prosecution cannot show exactly what happened behind the closed doors of Lower Llansantffraid, the callous and cold hearted behaviour of each defendant in the time after Logan’s death which can be proved is consistent with them trying to desperately cover up their involvement in his death.
“From dumping the body of Logan in the river as though he was rubbish being fly tipped to making false reports to the police that Logan was missing and acting out a search to put others off the scent, John Cole, Angharad Williamson and (the youth) each prioritised their own self preservation straight away in a manner we say is only consistent with having being involved in the murder of Logan.
“John Cole has admitted count three, perverting the course of justice, but the other defendants even contest that despite what the prosecution will say is compelling evidence to prove their guilt.”
The opening has now finished.
Mum accused of murdering son, 5, 'feigned shock', court told
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