To get the latest email updates from Yorkshire Live, click here . Ms Kavanagh repeated she had 'no safeguarding concerns' about Arthur. She said she recommended an early help programme including 'life story' work for Arthur, but Hughes declined it. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Tustin would record more than 200 clips of him in distress, including two particularly harrowing recordings where Arthur is heard begging in tears, "I want you to feed me, no one's going to feed me" and crying "no one loves me". Tustin maintained she has used salt for the same purpose whilst being in custody. In light of the revelations a juror asked if they were seriously expected to believe Hughes was not guilty of any child cruelty offence. Furious inmates 'toss salt at killer stepmum' who tortured Arthur Labinjo-Hughes", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Father and stepmother's prison sentences to be reviewed", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: 'A bruise for every day of lockdown' left on body of boy killed by father and stepmother", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Emma Tustin sentenced to life and Thomas Hughes 21 years for torturing and killing six-year-old", High Court Judgement: Regina - v Emma Tustin & THomas Hughes Sentencing Remarks, "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Killer father has sentence increased", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: review launched into six-year-old's murder", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: National inquiry into boy's death", "Timeline of the key missed opportunities leading up to Arthur's death revealed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Arthur_Labinjo-Hughes&oldid=1143956977, This page was last edited on 10 March 2023, at 23:33. [13] Arthur was left with an unsurvivable brain injury. [23][13] Police officers examined hundreds of videos, audio files and photos found on Tustin's and Hughes' mobile phones, and analysed thousands of messages they sent each other. But her ultimate unravelling came as she was quizzed about Arthur's collapse. My mum, my dad. The Child Safeguarding Partnership said it would be "inappropriate" to comment ahead of its findings, but said the "terrible tragedy has had a shocking impact on Arthur's family and across the whole community". Hughes allegedly spoke of putting him up for adoption. When Labinjo-Halcrow[d] killed her partner in February 2019, responsibility for the boy was transferred to his father. Tustin was subsequently found guilty of child cruelty counts 4 (deprivation of food and drink) and 5 (salt poisoning). Later that evening, Thomas belted Arthur's legs and later told Tustin to "Just end him". Like the CCTV, she claimed the purpose of the voice notes was to 'cover my own back'. I haven't got a leg to stand on. The pair also face an allegation of child cruelty by administering salt to Arthur between 1 and 17 June last year. [16] The head of Solihull council reported that social workers had been forced to leave their homes due to abuse and threats related to the case. Hughes and Arthur move into Tustins home in Solihull when the Covid-19 lockdown was announced. But some of the memos will last long in the memory, in particular Arthur crying for his grandmother and uncle saying repeatedly 'no-one loves me' and 'no-one is going to feed me'. I don't want Emma to suffer.". Thomas Hughes and his girlfriend Emma Tustin are jointly accused of murdering Arthur Labinjo-Hughes at her home in Shirley, Solihull, on 17 June 2020. Warning - this article contains distressing content. Tustin's hairdresser Catherine Milhench, known as "Affy", and her husband Tobias Jarman were among the last people to see Arthur alive. He was found not guilty on counts 4 (deprivation of food and drink) and 5 (salt poisoning). Eventually, she would call an ambulance but it was too late, and Arthur died in hospital shortly after 01:00 the following morning. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The jury was told that Arthur's head injuries were comparable to someone who had been in a serious car accident. Hughes's following comment to officers proved to be telling: "Emma isn't a suspect, she's a witness. They uncovered significant evidence of abuse inflicted on Arthur by both. Arthur was taken to the Birmingham Childrens hospital and later that evening Tustin and Hughes were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. But her words did not wash with prosecutor Jonas Hankin who completely skewered her during cross-examination. "We know that the Department for Education reported more serious injuries and deaths of children during the last year with a higher percentage in the first six months - so we do know that lockdown had a significant impact on children and families," Helen Westerman, from the NSPCC, said. Hughes was found not guilty on counts 4 and 5. Six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes subjected to "incomprehensible" suffering in the days and weeks running up to his . She said she recommended an early help programme including 'life story' work for Arthur, but Hughes declined it. She doesn't need it.". The proceedings exceeded two months and were even halted by a fire alarm and Covid-19 alert along the way. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. She would send them to Hughes when he was out of the home to 'report' his son's behaviour. READ MORE: Live updates as 'evil' stepmum and dad found guilty of murder of Arthur. After weeks of harrowing evidence at Coventry Crown Court a jury found his father Thomas Hughes, 29, guilty of manslaughter, and his step-mother Emma Tustin, 32, guilty of murder. Also involved are Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Barnardo's, Spurgeon's children's charity, the Springfield project in Sparkhill, St Paul's Community Development Trust and Your Local Pantry, which runs food hubs in 12 locations across Birmingham and the Black Country. Later at trial, the prosecution argued that she gave Arthur an overdose of salt in the bathroom at around this time though Tustin denied this. Minutes later, Arthur was unconscious. She would send them to Hughes when he was out of the home to 'report' his son's behaviour. He said the messages were so constant they became 'boring', and he stopped listening to them. Medical experts dominated the proceedings for an entire week. Hughes took Tustin's children to the supermarket, leaving his own son in mortal danger. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The six-year-old died in hospital from a brain injury after he was found fatally injured at a house in Shirley, Solihull. Arthur changed schools to Dickens Heath Community Primary School[6][7] and moved into an annex behind his paternal grandparents' home, with his father. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes is referred to using his first name throughout this article due to his age. By the end, the twisted bully had dehumanized his son who he claimed was his 'world'. During the trial Tustin was captured on CCTV carrying a large salt container out of the living room which was later photographed in the bathroom. In some of the recordings he was heard saying: "Please help me, help me uncle, they're not feeding me, I need some food and a drink. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. In a three-minute phone call, Hughes pretended they spoke about balloons for a birthday party but more likely, prosecutors suggest, he acted as he routinely did when Tustin reported Arthur's behaviour to him: in a rage, with threats, and encouraging violence. 17 April 2020: Social worker Jayne Kavanagh from Solihull council visited Tustins home. She is pregnant with my child. Hughes was seemingly unmoved by the sound of his boy crying over and over again. Shown footage demonstrating how Arthur was made to spend all day in the hallway and then sleep on the living room floor he said: "You are not here to watch television and comment on it. [12] Tustin then took a photo of the dying boy, which she sent to Hughes. The prosecutor argued her explanation did not 'bear scrutiny' and accused Tustin of poisoning Arthur with salt during the 22-minute period she was upstairs 'doing my eyebrows' on June 16. Tustin was repeatedly shown the living room footage from that afternoon but could not provide a consistent account of what happened at what time. They were among the key pieces of evidence which helped a jury convict a sadistic dad and step-mother of killing little Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. She described his appearance as skeletal and said his legs were shaking like he couldnt hold himself up. Hughes allegedly spoke of putting him up for adoption. The court also heard Tustin wanted the CCTV. The jury was also shown images mapping the catalogue of bruises to Arthur's body. [8] She shook Arthur and hit his head against a hard surface multiple times. Arthur's case was "horrendous, horrific and heart-breaking," the NSPCC said and the charity called for the serious case review to "establish the lessons that need to be learned to prevent this awful case from happening again". I didn't want to lose another child and the only way I could protect that child was to try and protect Emma from it all and take the blame for myself.". [8] Twelve minutes later, after phoning Thomas Hughes, Tustin called 999 and told medics that he "fell and banged his head and while on the floor banged his head another five times". The six-year-old collapsed from catastrophic head injuries in the hallway of a home in Cranmore Road, Shirley where he had been confined as a 'punishment' for most of the first national lockdown. On 15 June, Tustin took Arthur with her to spend most of the day at her hairdresser's house. Arguably the most heart-breaking clip to watch was Arthur being so weak on the morning of his collapse that he barely had the strength to carry his bedding out of the living room, where he had been forced to sleep. Then, he was really quite healthy looking, they told the court. It was made plain to her that the consensus medical opinion was that Arthur could not have caused his fatal head injuries himself, and yet still she blamed him for his own death. Like the CCTV, she claimed the purpose of the voice notes was to 'cover my own back'. He was slapped by Tustin for entering the living room. By the end of the month, Arthur was moved out of Tustin's son and daughter's bedroom and made to sleep on the living room floor. I don't want them to suffer. Join Breaking News and Incidents in Yorkshire to get the latest breaking news and post there if you see an incident you think is worth us covering. She claimed she followed an 'old wives' tale' in her family and used it to relieve pain and burning on her genitals - caused by the long-term effects of trying to take her own life in 2013 by jumping from a car park. It was a lie. In light of the revelations a juror asked if they were seriously expected to believe Hughes was not guilty of any child cruelty offence. Sep 2018 - Present4 years 8 months. 20 April 2020: Joanne Hughes told Arthurs school about the referral to social services. Thursday 2 December 2021 17:54, UK He told Tustin to 'just end' Arthur, 'take his jaw off' and 'gag' him, while he threatened to 'take his neck off' and 'dash my food off his head'. Arthur died in Solihull in June 2020. Someone supposedly 'stuck in the middle' of a bad situation, but ultimately with Arthur's best interests in mind. The prosecutor argued her explanation did not 'bear scrutiny' and accused Tustin of poisoning Arthur with salt during the 22-minute period she was upstairs 'doing my eyebrows' on June 16. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. He told the jury "Arthur was made to sleep on the living room floor" at Ms Tustin's home in Solihull and after his death, "a duvet was found in a cupboard under the stairs". What made this case so unique was the fact there was a camera installed in the living room of Tustin's home. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Father cut up six-year-old son's football shirts as punishment before partner killed the boy, court told Hughes was not present for the alleged fatal assault but is accused of aiding and abetting his son's murder - a charge he denies. Arthur's short life had been difficult. She said when asked how safe and happy they felt on a scale of 0-10, with zero being represented by the floor and the ceiling being the opposite, both boys very confidently jumped up and pointed at the ceiling saying they felt very happy and very safe. Both defendants subsequently accepted they 'assaulted' the boy, contrary to their previous pleas. Tustin had bizarrely claimed she had a spare camera left over from putting up CCTV outside due to 'problems with neighbours coming into the garden and putting holes in her clothes'. This is the link to make a donation. The child collapsed to the floor as they left the hairdresser's but was not helped by either Tustin or Thomas when he arrived. She said it was set up on a living room shelf to monitor Arthur's behaviour because he had supposedly ripped up things and allegedly dropped her tortoise, although that was disputed. It did not add up that he had apparently confessed his guilt to officers and yet went on to deny all the charges against him. [4][5][2][3] This led to Thomas Hughes becoming Arthur's sole carer. [26][27][28] Mister Justice Mark Wall, the presiding judge, described the case in his sentencing remarks as among the most "distressing and disturbing" cases that he has dealt with. A Home Office pathologist concluded the pattern of many injuries suggested they were inflicted and none-accidental. Both Arthur's parents shared custody of him whilst he lived with his mother. In February 2019, Labinjo-Halcrow stabbed her new partner, Gary Cunningham, to death after a period of mutual domestic violence. He was rushed to hospital later that same day, June 16, last year, but it was determined nothing could be done to save him and he died at 1am the following morning. The jury was also shown images mapping the catalogue of bruises to Arthur's body. Thomas Hughes ate ice cream in front of his starving six-year-old boy, Six-year-old boy Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was murdered by his step mum, Undated handout photo issued by West Midlands Police of Emma Tustin, Undated handout photo issued by West Midlands Police of Thomas Hughes. I didn't kill him. In the witness box told the jury he was simply covering for Tustin, who he now 'hated' and saw in a 'completely different light'. It's as simple as that. Ms Kavanagh repeated she had 'no safeguarding concerns' about Arthur. Tustin reported these incidents to Thomas via text messages and audio clips of him crying. [30], A local review was launched into the incident soon after the boy's death. They all agreed that the most likely mechanism that caused the injuries was a shaking-type motion with one or more impacts. The boy was mistreated over the course of several months by his father, Thomas Hughes, and his father's partner, Emma Tustin. Cellmates of evil stepmum who murdered arthur, 6, lace her food with salt. The camera also picked up isolated incidents of bullying Hughes and cruel Tustin slapping Arthur round the back of the head and holding him by the scruff of the neck. Clubs are free to negotiate deals ahead of 2024. It threw up the first major question in the trial, why was it there? Six-year-old Arthur from Solihull, West Midlands, was poisoned, starved and beaten during a campaign of abuse by stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, and his father Thomas Hughes, 29, during the weeks. Injuries of a car crash victim and cancer sufferer. Arthur's dad, Thomas Hughes, 29, and 32-year-old Emma Tustin, his partner, are on trial jointly accused of murder, after the boy suffered an "unsurvivable brain injury" in June . Arthur died in hospital in the early hours of the following day. 2023 BBC. Jonas Hankin QC, for the prosecution, told jurors at Coventry Crown Court that Ms Tustin's account included the suggestion "Arthur had headbutted her during the incident" and had treated the couple badly. His blood sodium levels were 'off the scale', measuring over 180millimoles per litre (mmol/L) compared to a normal range of 135-145 mmol/L. The vast majority of the recordings were of Arthur crying. An official at Arthur's school noted that the child became less happy as autumn progressed. Mr Hankin branded her a 'pitiless, cruel woman' who 'hated' Arthur. I'm guilty of all of this. She flip-flopped from her original account to police; from being in the hallway when he supposedly 'cracked' his own head off the floor to being elsewhere, from the first of four cracks being the loudest to the last of them being the loudest, from being present when Arthur apparently knocked himself out to being somewhere else. Thursday 2 December 2021 17:54, UK His head injuries were said to be unsurvivable and Arthur died shortly before 01:00 BST on 17 June. He portrayed himself as dim-witted, lacking in confidence and completely submissive to Tustin's assertive control. But the evidence undermined the act. In one message she said 'f****** launch this lying little f***' and in another she warned she was 'going to chin this little c***'. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes died after being left alone with Emma Tustin last year. Arguably the most heart-breaking clip to watch was Arthur being so weak on the morning of his collapse that he barely had the strength to carry his bedding out of the living room, where he had been forced to sleep. Kidney consultant Dr Malcolm Coulthard told the court that when Arthur arrived at hospital he was suffering from severe hypernatremia - raised sodium levels. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Hughes told police he 'turned into a monster' during lockdown and that 'Arthur took the brunt of my frustrations unfairly'. The next day, a social worker went to visit Hughes and Tustin's household. Something went wrong, please try again later. Not long after taking responsibility for Arthur, Hughes, 29, met Tustin on an online dating site. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, collapsed from fatal injuries at a home in Shirley, Solihull on June 16 last year. Thomas Hughes, 29, and Emma Tustin, 32, are accused of murdering Arthur Labinjo-Hughes who suffered an "unsurvivable brain injury." The youngster was allegedly subjected to a "campaign of. You were in this movie. She said it was set up on a living room shelf to monitor Arthur's behaviour because he had supposedly ripped up things and allegedly dropped her tortoise, although that was disputed. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes report: children still at risk in Solihull, Onein five child abuse images found online last year were category A report, Covid lockdowns created online backdoor for child abusers, says charity, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: review launched into six-year-olds murder, Painful Ofsted report in Herefordshire leads to calls for resignations, Sentences for killers of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes to be reviewed for leniency, Child protection agencies failed son of drug addict, review finds, Ionce looked up to my uncle, the Jesuit priest and teacher then I discovered the monstrous truth, PMpledges to leave no stone unturned in review of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes death, Halving time asylum seeker children held in UK hotels not enough, say charities, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: woman jailed for life for murder of stepson, six. BBC News, West Midlands. I don't want other people to suffer for my ignorance, my neglect. A "bullying" father and stepmother "poisoned" a six-year-old boy with salt and exposed him to months of "cruel" abuse, a court has heard. Tustin maintained she has used salt for the same purpose whilst being in custody. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Grandmother pays tribute to boy, six. She presented herself as a victim. Tustin and Hughes simply kept him out of view. (modern). What made this case so unique was the fact there was a camera installed in the living room of Tustin's home. Ms Kavanagh said both children indicated they felt they were 'very happy and very safe'. He was rushed to hospital following the incident on June 16 2020, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, it was determined that nothing could be done to save him and he sadly lost his life at 1am the following day. Photograph: West Midlands Police/PA Child. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [3], The case made a significant impact on the local community and particularly football fans. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. I didn't see it. There were between 100 to 130 marks in total including 30 to his head and neck. He added: "Over the course of 17 months a lot has been put to me I was not previously aware of regarding Emma and it has made me see Emma in a completely different light. Tustin spent over a week in the witness box. By contrast, Hughes was emotionless in the witness box. Anne Longfield, the former children's commissioner for England, said:[18], "a lot of the services went on to the screens for children, and this child in particular, Arthur, wasnt in school. His father Thomas Hughes, 29, and his former partner Emma Tustin, 32, are. 17 June 2020: Doctors concluded nothing could be done to save Arthur and his life support machine was switched off at 1am. Between June 12 to June 14 he was ordered to stay there for more than 35 hours in total. Throughout the six hours Tustin was there, she forced the boy to stand by the door, and frequently shouted and swore at him. But her words did not wash with prosecutor Jonas Hankin who completely skewered her during cross-examination. Hughes was found guilty of child cruelty counts 2 (standing in isolation) and 3 (assaults). [17] The incident provoked discussion of the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the welfare of vulnerable children. By the time of his death, Arthur was malnourished, suffering from salt poisoning, and covered with over 130 bruises. Tuesday 16 June 2020 started the same as any other for six-year-old Arthur . Arthur Labinjo-Hughes died in hospital several hours after he was found unresponsive at a house on Cranmore Road in Shirley, near Birmingham 'Bullying' parents 'poisoned' their six-year-old son. November 2019: Hughes and his mother, Joanne, met staff at Arthurs school to discuss their growing concerns about his behaviour. ", "How lockdown was beginning of the end for tragic Arthur - timeline", "Coronavirus: UK schools, colleges and nurseries to close from Friday", "Coronavirus: Strict new curbs on life in UK announced by PM", "UK launches major review into murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Father and girlfriend found guilty over death of six-year-old boy", "Stepmother and father convicted of killing Arthur Labinjo-Hughes", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Candlelit vigil for murdered boy", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Football club's tribute to young fan", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Football pays tribute to murdered Birmingham City fan after killers jailed", "Social workers forced out of homes due to abuse after Arthur Labinjo-Hughes case", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: vulnerable children 'slipped from view' in pandemic", "How much did lockdown help Arthur Labinjo-Hughes' killers escape notice? Ms Kavanagh insisted she only saw a single 'faint' bruise on Arthur's back and not the marks visible in the picture taken just 26 hours earlier, despite an expert saying they would not have faded by then. A jury has now convicted dad Thomas Hughes of manslaughter and step-mother. Thomas Hughes said that Tustin coached the boys to lie about the incident and had warned him they would lose custody of their children if he did not cooperate as well. Hughes returned home and a 999 call was made at 2.42pm. He lived with his mother, Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow, after she and Hughes split not long before his second birthday. The Attorney General's office said on 4 December that the sentences would be reviewed to "determine whether they were too low" under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
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