Topic: Arthur Labinjo-Hughes

[CornerFlag]

I'm not ashamed to say I cried a little reading about this.  An absolutely heartbreaking story of the torture and death of a six-year-old boy at the hands of those he should have been able to trust the most.  I hugged my two a little more tonight before their bedtimes tonight.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-59489765

A father and his partner have been found guilty of the killing of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

The boy was tortured by Thomas Hughes and Emma Tustin, eventually dying of a head injury while in the care of his stepmother.

Tustin shook him and banged his head on a hard surface after poisoning him with salt, the court heard.

At Coventry Crown Court, Tustin was convicted of murder and Hughes found guilty of manslaughter.

The pair were also convicted of child cruelty charges.

Following the verdicts the jury asked if they could hold a minute's silence for Arthur, which they were allowed to do. They were also excused from sitting on another jury for life.

They heard weeks of harrowing evidence, including how Arthur was force-fed salt-laced meals, kept isolated in the home, starved, dehydrated and routinely beaten.

He was forced to "stand like a statue" near the front door for hour after hour, and on another occasion his father cut up two of his Birmingham City shirts as punishment.

Jurors, who took six hours and 15 minutes to return their verdicts, were also shown and listened to hours and hours worth of audio and video clips recorded in the final weeks of Arthur's life, including CCTV from an in-lounge camera on the morning before he was fatally injured, where he appeared to limp and cry, and struggled to fold up a duvet he had been given to sleep on downstairs.

In one audio clip, Arthur could be heard crying "no-one loves me," repeating the phrase four times, while in another he cries "no-one's gonna feed me" seven times.

Arthur was "scarcely able to articulate his words" and could no longer support his own weight by the time of his murder.

Arthur's biological mother had herself been jailed for stabbing her own partner to death.

Hughes and Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow had shared custody of their son until her arrest for killing 29-year-old delivery driver Gary Cunningham in their home at Frensham Way, Birmingham, in February 2019.

During Tustin's evidence, prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said it was clear from the tone of her commands to Arthur that she had "relished" being cruel towards him.

While Tustin was accused of carrying out the fatal assault by violently shaking him and repeatedly banging Arthur's head on a hard surface after poisoning him with a "salt slurry", Hughes was "complicit in the violence," prosecutors had told jurors.

Despite medical evidence suggesting there was no way Arthur could have self-inflicted his fatal injuries, Tustin maintained she was not responsible.

She took a photograph of Arthur on her mobile phone as he lay dying in the hallway, sending the image to Hughes, the court heard.

She then took 12 minutes to call 999, lying to medics that Arthur "fell and banged his head and while on the floor banged his head another five times", later claiming he must have thrown himself down the stairs, despite evidence he was barely strong enough to pick up his own bedding.

Although he was not present for the fatal assault on Arthur, prosecutors argued Hughes was equally culpable as he "encouraged" violence against his son, as well as dealing out beatings himself.

The court previously heard Hughes made a number of threats towards his son, including to "put him six feet under", and had also sent Tustin messages such as "just end him".

The court also heard Arthur had told others his "dad was going to kill him", he expressed this to his wider family, his doctor and his school.

On one occasion before his death, Arthur told his father: "I am in danger with you, dad".

In court, the pair had been described by prosecutors as "utterly ruthless, unthinking and pitiless".

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Analysis by Phil Mackie, Midlands Correspondent

The circumstances surrounding Arthur Labinjo-Hughes's death are truly shocking. No-one can be blamed for what happened other than the people who were supposed to be looking after him - Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes.

However, there were opportunities when - if the agencies involved had intervened - Arthur might have been saved. This will be the subject of a serious case review which is expected to be published next year.

It's hard not to see some similarities between Arthur's case and others that I have covered, including the deaths of Daniel Pelka, Keanu Williams and Keegan Downer.

But there is one big difference. Arthur's abuse escalated as soon as he and his father moved in with Tustin at the start of the first lockdown last year. It carried on behind closed doors at a time when everyone was isolating and face-to-face meetings were rare.

The NSPCC has said it saw a 23% increase in calls at the time. It may be that lockdown might also be considered to have been a factor in the little boy's death.

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Speaking after the verdicts, Arthur's maternal grandmother, Madeleine Halcrow, called them "wicked" and "evil" and described their behaviour as "unfathomable".

"I think they are cold, calculating, systematic torturers of a defenceless little boy. They're wicked, evil. There's no word for them, especially your own child," she said.

Det Insp Laura Harrison of West Midlands Police said it was not clear why Tustin and Hughes caused Arthur so much harm and suffering or why they installed a CCTV camera in their home, but it proved invaluable in showing what his life was like.

She added they found no evidence of a space in the house Arthur "could have called his own".

"Officers found his duvet shoved in a cupboard under the stairs, because he was made to sleep on the floor in the living room each night."

Tustin, of Cranmore Road in Shirley, had admitted two counts of child cruelty which accused her of intimidation and assaults but denied a third count alleging she poisoned Arthur with salt-laced drinks and meals.

Hughes, 29, was also convicted of the cruelty offences which Tustin had admitted but cleared of withholding food and drink, or of poisoning his own son with salt.

It emerged at trial that Arthur had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, after concerns were raised by his paternal grandmother Joanne Hughes, but they concluded there were "no safeguarding concerns".

An independent review is now under way into the authorities' contact with Arthur before his death.

An NSPCC spokesperson said the cruelty inflicted "almost defies belief", adding their convictions must be the start of a process to "uncover the chain of events" and "establish what lessons need to be learned".

The pair will be sentenced on Friday at Coventry Crown Court.

All the associated stories too, I'm just genuinely hurting on the inside for him.

[wemmick]

Fucking enraging, mate. It's hard to imagine that justice can be done in this case, no matter what punishment they receive. Poor, poor lad.

[TSC]

Heartbreaking that.  Sounds like the kid had zip periods of joy in his short life.

[Nobby Reserve]

I can't read it. I read part of the BBC article a couple of days ago and started to break down.

What kind of evil, psychotic piece of shit could do that to any child? But your own fucking kid?

I hope every minute for the rest of his (and her) stinking, miserable lives are filled with pain.

[jillcwhomever]

What gets me is there are some people who are never able to have children and would give anything to have a child. Then you hear about scum like this and it totally sickens you. At least the poor little one is in a better place, no kid should have to put up with stuff like this. 

[west_london_red]

With what he was being subjected to how on earth could social services have visited the poor boy and not noticed what was going on? I know teachers are up against it at the best of times never mind these times but they must have seen things weren’t right? We can’t get away from whose fault this was but it feels like a lot of people dropped the ball here and this could have been prevented.

Sleep tight young man

[Wabaloolah]

I'm not ashamed to say I cried a little reading about this.  An absolutely heartbreaking story of the torture and death of a six-year-old boy at the hands of those he should have been able to trust the most.  I hugged my two a little more tonight before their bedtimes tonight.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-59489765

All the associated stories too, I'm just genuinely hurting on the inside for him.

shocking, absolutely shocking, I read it earlier and apparently his mother is in jail too for killing her boyfriend and that's how he ended up living with these two pieces of shit, aside from a period living with his paternal grandparents.

It was a truly harrowing story, recordings were played of him saying "why does nobody love me?" and "why is nobody feeding me?"

Utter scum, they really should be executed, they don't deserve to live, horrific

[Wabaloolah]

With what he was being subjected to how on earth could social services have visited the poor boy and not noticed what was going on? I know teachers are up against it at the best of times never mind these times but they must have seen things weren’t right? We can’t get away from whose fault this was but it feels like a lot of people dropped the ball here and this could have been prevented.

Sleep tight young man

it happened during lockdown, that's why he went to live with them as the scumbag of a dad took him away from his paternal grandparents who apparently doted on him at the time we went into the first lockdown.

Not excusing Social Services here as clearly the young boy has been failed here but clearly lockdown affected everything including Social Services unfortunately

[Jono69]

Absolutely heartbreaking and cannot for the life of me understand how anyone could do this , it's truly barbaric / evil /sickening

They want putting down

[scatman]

I'm sorry but I'm so angry, they should be executed in the slowest and most painful way possible. This poor boy, reading what he was saying on audio clips, that's heartbreaking. God, what a fucking world with people like this. God.

[RedSince86]

Scum of the Earth.

I hope the father gets his comeuppance in Jail Jeffrey Dahmer style, same with his Partner.

[rawcusk8]

Heartbreaking stuff. Itv news played audio clips of little Arthur crying and saying nobody loves me. It had me in tears. I hope the scum get what they deserve in prison but also the social workers and cops that missed the bruises on the poor boys back should be held accountable.

[paulrazor]

I can't read any more quotes on this. This is way too upsetting

How can this have happened. That poor child. I never knew the child and yet I'd honestly give every penny I have right now to give him a warm home and make him feel loved.

This is so sad

I'd love two meet these two killers and I'd fucking break every bone they had and make them suffer.

You absolute vile pieces of shit

[Macphisto80]

Broke my heart seeing the footage on the news, and hearing the sound recordings of him.

No child should go through with this poor kid did.

As for his so called parents/minders...jail is too lenient.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

What gets me is there are some people who are never able to have children and would give anything to have a child. Then you hear about scum like this and it totally sickens you. At least the poor little one is in a better place, no kid should have to put up with stuff like this. 

Yes and there are people who have lost a child such as my parents lost theirs / I lost my brother Daniel through Meningococcal meningitis.

Bring back hanging for child killers.

[paulrazor]

Yes and there are people who have lost a child such as my parents lost theirs / I lost my brother Daniel through Meningococcal meningitis.

Bring back hanging for child killers.

stone them in public paul

let them suffer

I seriously want them to suffer through every waking minute and have nightmares through every second of their sleep.

I cant get this out of my head

As soon as I woke up during the night and this morning I was thinking about it

[kopite77]

I watched the report on the News yesterday, those pictures of him on the day he died trying to pick up his quilt and the one of his injuries are sickening, then they showed the footage of his Step Mother blaming the poor child for causing his own injuries and death.

The report also said on the day of the poor child’s death, his father had told his partner to finish him in a text, in what fucking sick world are his piece of shit of a father’s word’s not seen as inciting murder, he was only charged with Manslaughter and her with Murder, both of them should serve rest of life sentences and not on any Special Wings, I hope the vile pieces of shit rot in hell!

[Crosby Nick]

I read the article but didn’t see the news or hear the audio clips and really don’t want to. Seems like you get a story like this every once in a while and each time it’s incomprehensible how anyone could do such a thing.

Poor little kid. RIP Arthur.

[El Lobo]

Poor little soul

Actually shed a tear reading that

[Oh Campione]

Truly heart breaking, really got to me reading that article this morning.   

[Garrus]

I don't think I'd ever be able to bring myself to watch those clips. Really sickening story. RIP and I hope these monsters face justice.

[PeterJM]

I can't bring myself to watch any of the clips as it'll haunt forever.The thought of that poor kid dying, thinking nobody loved is heartbreaking.

I hope there's a nice welcoming committee for them in prison and every day of their evil,sad,meaningless,pathetic and pointless existence!

[FlashGordon]

Couldn't finish the article.

Utterly devastating. Poor little kid.

RIP.

About one of the only times I'd be in favour of an eye for an eye.

[AndyMuller]

Fuming here after reading that article, I had no idea about it until reading it. They need executing imminently.

RIP Arthur.

[Nobby Reserve]

it happened during lockdown, that's why he went to live with them as the scumbag of a dad took him away from his paternal grandparents who apparently doted on him at the time we went into the first lockdown.

The evil pair of shitstains probably realised they could get more benefits having him live with them.

[paulrazor]

I cant read the above article as you can tell by other posts this has really disturbed and upset me

but where was his real mother?

This bitch who killed him wasnt his real mother

If the answer is to sad to know then id rather not know

[Jono69]

I cant read the above article as you can tell by other posts this has really disturbed and upset me

but where was his real mother?

This bitch who killed him wasnt his real mother

If the answer is to sad to know then id rather not know

In jail after stabbing her boyfriend to death

[stewy17]

I cant read the above article as you can tell by other posts this has really disturbed and upset me

but where was his real mother?

This bitch who killed him wasnt his real mother

If the answer is to sad to know then id rather not know

His mother is in jail for the murder of her partner, the little man barely stood a chance. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/arthur-labinjo-hughes-mother-murdered-boyfriend-b969711.html

It's a terrible story of neglect and a disgraceful failure of the authorities to protect this little boy. Heartbreaking.

[killer-heels]

There are grim stories and then there are stories like this for where there are few words that can illustrate the horror sufficiently.

[paulrazor]

In jail after stabbing her boyfriend to death

His mother is in jail for the murder of her partner, the little man barely stood a chance. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/arthur-labinjo-hughes-mother-murdered-boyfriend-b969711.html

It's a terrible story of neglect and a disgraceful failure of the authorities to protect this little boy. Heartbreaking.

Jesus Christ

the poor child never had a hope

[scatman]

Arthur’s paternal grandmother, Joanne Hughes, had seen bruises on Arthur’s back, with the boy telling her that Tustin “called him an ugly, horrible brat” and shoved him into the stairs.

She alerted children’s social services to the bruises in April, weeks before Arthur’s death. But two social workers who saw Arthur at Cranmore Road reported that they had “no safeguarding concerns”.

Those two could have saved a poor child's life....

[Wabaloolah]

Minimum of 29 years for the bitch, not long enough


Man gets 21


The state of this country fucking hell


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-59522243

[paulrazor]

just fuck off

seriously

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Absolutely horrific.

Seeing loads of people trying to get the death sentence back on the basis of this. As heartbreaking, shite, horrific and fucked up as this is, I still can't see myself agreeing with state sanctioned murder.

I would imagine that the courts will react to this and ensure that these two people never see freedom again - they can always make that judgement if they feel it is the interests of the public.

I'd imagine that if they were ever let out then there would be people after them.


There are just no words to describe how absolutely evil this act was though.

[Wabaloolah]

"Tustin refused to enter the court room to hear the judge's sentencing remarks or victim impact statements from Arthur's family."

This says it all about her, cowardly and lacking any remorse.  I hope she gets what's coming to her

[Wabaloolah]

Absolutely horrific.

Seeing loads of people trying to get the death sentence back on the basis of this. As heartbreaking, shite, horrific and fucked up as this is, I still can't see myself agreeing with state sanctioned murder.

I would imagine that the courts will react to this and ensure that these two people never see freedom again - they can always make that judgement if they feel it is the interests of the public.

I'd imagine that if they were ever let out then there would be people after them.


There are just no words to describe how absolutely evil this act was though.

unfortunately the "Dad" will be out in 10 years or is it a 2/3 sentence now for serious crimes? 

He should be chemically castrated in prison though as he should never be allowed to have children again

[paulrazor]

unfortunately the "Dad" will be out in 10 years or is it a 2/3 sentence now for serious crimes? 

He should be chemically castrated in prison though as he should never be allowed to have children again

he should never see the outside of a prison again

unless he is lying dismembered

[Jono69]

Hopefully they will get some special treatment in prison

I can't even remotely comprehend how you would feel after being on the Jury listening to the evidence

[So… Howard Philips]

I can remember the shock and outrage over the death of Maria Colwell in 1973.

And then the shock and outrage over the death of Victoria Climbie in 2000.

And all the other children killed by their parents, step parents, or other dysfunctional 'family members.

Nothing has or will change whilst people are so dehumanised as to treat their children like this.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

unfortunately the "Dad" will be out in 10 years or is it a 2/3 sentence now for serious crimes? 

He should be chemically castrated in prison though as he should never be allowed to have children again

Usually, but I'm hoping that as this is a high-profile case, particularly horrific and the people involved don't appear to even be able to show any remorse, I'd say that they were a danger to the general public.

In such instances, such people can be remanded in custody indefinately (known as "At Her Majesty's pleasure")