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

[Tinksx]

13:16JAMES CARTLEDGE
Hughes accepts there was an 'escalation of abuse' in June
Mr Hankin says it is 'rubbish' that Arthur's bruises were caused by Tustin's son in April and Hughes knew Tustin had caused them.

Hughes: "Not at all."

Mr Hankin puts it to him he saw Arthur's injuries when he showered him.

Hughes: "I was often discouraged with shower time."

He accepts there was an 'escalation of abuse' to Arthur in June.

Mr Hankin: "You told Arthur that the weekend before his death his attitude was changing his weekend. That was an ultimatum wasn't it?"

Hughes: "Not at all."

Mr Hankin: "The handbrake was coming off. You also told police Emma had started to bite back. That meant hitting Arthur."

Hughes: "No."

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[Dotta]

The Prosecutor slowly but surely is driving TH into a tight corner!

 

[Tinksx]

13:31KEY EVENT
Hughes told he had 'turned into a monster'
Hughes accepts he told police he had 'turned into a monster' adding: "I felt I had."

Mr Hankin says he was 'openly aggressive towards Arthur'. Hughes: "Occasionally. I still spoke to the GP and school to get advice."

Mr Hankin puts it to him he 'threatened to kill' Arthur, who is now dead.

Hughes: "They were heat-of-the-moment comments. When I came back I felt like I was going into punishment blind. I didn't know what I was punishing him for. I only had hearsay."

Hughes accepts he was openly aggressive to Arthur in front of Catherine Milhench and Tobias Jarman despite the fact he 'barely knew' them, but denies he hit Arthur with a slipper at their home.

Mr Hankin asks about the fact Hughes told police he was 'in a rage'. Hughes says he was 'not happy' but denies he was in a rage. He adds that he cannot remember saying 'I will kill you' to Arthur while leaving Ms Milhench's home.

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[Tinksx]

13:39JAMES CARTLEDGE
Hughes accepts it was 'appalling' to say he would 'rip Arthur's head off and use it as a football'
Turning to June 16 Mr Hankin asks about Hughes saying he would 'rip your head off and use it as a football' to Arthur.

Hughes: "It was an appalling way to speak to him. Frustration. I had had constant 'look at what he's doing'. Frustration got the better of me."

He gives a similar explanation to the fact he said 'I'll bury you six feet under'.

Mr Hankin puts it to Hughes he has an 'explosive temper'.

Hughes: "No. I let numerous little things build up and before I would have my family to talk to about those problems. At this time I didn't. I let little things build up. I would explode. It's not a short one (temper), it could be classed as explosive."

He denies he does not cool down quickly.

Hughes accepts it 'crossed my mind slightly' that his continued treatment of Arthur would lead to him suffering more serious harm.

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[Dotta]

OMG!
Arthur's head as a football!
Two monsters on rampage!

 

[Tinksx]

13:45JAMES CARTLEDGE
Hughes is accused of 'encouraging' Tustin to cause Arthur 'serious harm' in call before he was fatally injured
Hughes accepts his was 'lowering Arthur's value' when he told Tusitn to 'put him out with the rubbish, give him away'.

Mr Hankin tells the court that Hughes and Tustin had a two-minute phone call conversaton on June 16 which ended at 2.27pm - approximately two minutes before Tustin allegedly inflicted Arthur's fatal injuries.

He asks if it is a 'coincidence'.

Hughes: "There was no threat of violence on that phone call. I spoke about the balloons the children wanted to get."

Mr Hankin: "That's a lie. You encouraged Emma to cause him serious harm."

Hughes: "No, I didn't encourage anything."

Mr Hankin concludes his cross-examination

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[Tinksx]

13:59JAMES CARTLEDGE
'I was told he inflicted pain to others in the household so I wanted him to see what he was inflicting on other people'
Hughes' barrister Bernard Richmond carries out his re-examination and asks a series of questions.

Hughes accepts he was 'cruel' to Arthur in relation to making him stand in the hallway and assaulting him.

Asked whether his assaults caused Arthur 'serious bodily harm' he replies: "I don't think they did. I always hit him on the back of the legs or to the bum."

Hughes says he never had the intention of causing Arthur serious harm but admits he did intend to cause him pain, adding: "I was told he inflicted pain to others in the household so I wanted him to see what he was inflicting on other people."

He accepts what he did to Arthur himself was 'horrible' and adds he is not seeking to justify his actions.

Hughes confirms he never actually caused serious injury to Arthur after saying things like 'take his jaw off' and 'end him'.

He says: "It was my way of venting. I had been told constantly about his behaviour. I wasn't there at that point. It was my way of saying I would do something when I get back."

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[suebaloo]

OMG!
Arthur's head as a football!
Two monsters on rampage!

It's not looking good for either of them. I pray that justice is served.

 

[Tinksx]

14:04JAMES CARTLEDGE
Hughes denies allowing Tustin to harm Arthur and says he didn't know salt was used on him
Hughes denies there was an 'agreement' for Tustin to inflict physical punishment on Arthur. He says he had no idea salt had been used on him.

Asked if he did anything to encourage harm to Arthur or if he knew whether his food was adulterated he replies: "No."

He says he would have let Arthur drink more water if he had eaten his food and adds: "I was under the impression he was trying to substitute food for drink and I wanted to balance it out."

In response to a jury question Hughes says he was 'not aware at all' Arthur had been salt poisoned when he was in the police van with Tustin.

Mr Richmond asks why he tried to call the doctor on the day before Arhur died.

Hughes: "To discuss his eating. After speaking to the school they recommended I speak to the doctor as well. I was concerned Arthur had lost so much weight and as a result he wasn't able to go back to school at that point."

He tells the school he wanted Arthur to go back to school for the 'routine' and to see his friends.

Asked what Tustin said about the idea he says: "I mentioned it once that I wanted him to go back. She said we can't send him back he will tell lies about us. I still wanted him to go back. I explained that if he explained what happened then we can explaine what happened as well."

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[Carroll520]

It sounds like TH was seriously intimidated by ET. I've been in manipulative relationships and understand the fear of "setting off" the narcissist...you lose the ability to function properly and think for yourself. I once said to one of them that it was like walking across a room full of tin tacks, in the dark and blindfold. I'd actually resigned myself to the fact he would probably end up killing me. I look back and wonder how on earth I let that happen but at the time I was so absorbed in trying to not do anything to rock the boat I honestly didn't see what was happening

Aw i dont think TH can use his fear of ET as an excuse in this instance. When your actions or lack of action in TH's case are having such a serious affect on your child, you would do anything to protect them. He was afraid to rock the boat so assisted ET in subjecting his son to the medical definition of child torture. It doesnt sit well with me, I dont buy it

 

[Dotta]

TH was treating his son with absolute contempt.
Saying those cruel words to him!
Doesnt he realize that you can kill with a word as effectively as with a knife???

 

[suebaloo]

Aw i dont think TH can use his fear of ET as an excuse in this instance. When your actions or lack of action in TH's case are having such a serious affect on your child, you would do anything to protect them. He was afraid to rock the boat so assisted ET in subjecting his son to the medical definition of child torture. It doesnt sit well with me, I dont buy it

I agree with you 110%. It's one thing to be gaslighted when in a relationship with a narcissist but to cruelly take it out on your own flesh and blood? Unforgiveable.

 

[Tinksx]

14:20KEY EVENT
'I'm disgusted in myself. No parent should act as I did. I can't see my son ever again'
Mr Richmond asks Hughes to look across to the jury and explain what he thinks about his own actions.

Hughes: "I'm disgusted in myself. No parent should act as I did and I'm not happy with myself at all. I can't see my son ever again as a result of this situation and it's horrible."

Mr Richmond asks him to explain how he now views Tustin's behaviour compared to how he did in the police van, which is when he last saw her.

Hughes: "It's disgusting. I think she has gaslighted an awful lot of people, not just myself and I will never forgive her. Two children of mine have been taken and I haven't had a chance in any of the matters."

Mr Richmond: "You had a choice to walk away as far as Arthur was concerned."

Hughes: "It is a choice that will stay with me forever for being the wrong one."

He concludes his evidence and is released from the witness box.

The trial adjourns for a break.

Dad accused of murdering son branded a 'short-tempered, wicked man' - updates

 

[Noseyjosie]

Aw i dont think TH can use his fear of ET as an excuse in this instance. When your actions or lack of action in TH's case are having such a serious affect on your child, you would do anything to protect them. He was afraid to rock the boat so assisted ET in subjecting his son to the medical definition of child torture. It doesnt sit well with me, I dont buy it

It isn't fear exactly, it's difficult to explain to anyone who hasn't gone through it themselves, but you become so concentrated on the never ending cycles in the relationship that it takes over your whole life - every second of every day - and self preservation (which is one of our strongest basic instincts) goes out the window, let alone true awareness of what is happening around you and how others are being affected. JMO

 

[Dotta]

So what happens now?
Defence and Prosecution speaking?
And then Jury deliberation?

 

[Tinksx]

So what happens now?
Defence and Prosecution speaking?
And then Jury deliberation?

Depends if TH has any defence witnesses. If so, they’ll be up next.

 

[Dotta]

Depends if TH has any defence witnesses. If so, they’ll be up next.

I see.
Thanks.

 

[Carroll520]

Depends if TH has any defence witnesses. If so, they’ll be up next.

None of his family will be up thats for sure

 

[Dotta]

It was clever of Prosecutor to point out that Arthur didnt feel comfortable with TH even before they moved to ET house (schoolyard incident).

 

[RusselSprout]

Anyone else think TH is coming across very well rehearsed? I'm not buying it for a second, but he does seem somehow more 'normal' than ET.