On 6 May 2020, Mr Hughes texted Ms Tustin, telling her: "Tell him not to move a muscle - put him by the fridge, put him outside or wherever, give him away. 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. Mr Hankin said the evidence indicated Arthur was isolated and "physically and verbally abused", while access to food and drink were "controlled or restricted". Tustin could be heard 'policing' Arthur in some of the clips barking 'stand still, stand still'. It's thought as soon as they were alone in the house, Tustin forced him to drink a salt slurry in the upstairs bathroom. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. While alone, Arthur would often cry to himself. ", READ MORE: Guilty: 'Evil' dad and stepmum killed little Arthur Labinjo-Hughes after months of torture and abuse. He died on 17 June 2020. he horrific case of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes is raising serious questions about how his abuse went undetected for so long, whether authorities failed in their duty to protect him and how lockdown may have prevented them from doing so. We have used the asterisk no less than 600 times during our live coverage of the case. In particular, he suffered a detached retina which a pathologist said was 'very, very rare' in child head trauma cases. Hughes later told Tustin he had 'basically held my hands up'. Both defendants subsequently accepted they 'assaulted' the boy, contrary to their previous pleas. [30], A local review was launched into the incident soon after the boy's death. She feigned contrition repeatedly describing her treatment to Arthur as 'absolutely disgraceful' and purporting she was 'disgusted in myself'. Not long after he weakly put away his bedding on 16 June, Tustin took Arthur to her appointment at Ms Milhench's home. She made multiple references to him 'winning'. In his eyes was fear, they would say, and it soon became apparent why. Arthur died in hospital in the early hours of the following day. Tustin's hairdresser Catherine Milhench, known as "Affy", and her husband Tobias Jarman were among the last people to see Arthur alive. She would send them to Hughes when he was out of the home to 'report' his son's behaviour. 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". She refuted the allegation. His barrister forewarned the jury they would not see him 'cry for himself'. Arthur's grandmother, Mrs Halcrow, agrees. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. Like the CCTV, she claimed the purpose of the voice notes was to 'cover my own back'. "At the time I thought I was doing the right thing by my unborn child. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. She organised a meeting with Arthur's father and grandmother about her concerns that the boy was developing an obsession with topics such as guns, death and the news, along with fears about being separated from or killed by his father. 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. Prosecutors said his head was "banged repeatedly against a hard surface" causing an "unsurvivable brain injury". He said the messages were so constant they became 'boring', and he stopped listening to them. I can't account for it. However, the child's uncle noted that Thomas Hughes seemed to be becoming stricter with the boy, and Arthur appeared to be more fearful of getting into trouble. Join Breaking News and Incidents in Yorkshire, Desperate plight of tragic Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was 'missed because of Covid' says social work boss, Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes indulged in hot tubs and ice cream as Arthur left starving and alone. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. However, in February 2019, Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow stabbed her new abusive partner to death in an alcohol and drug fuelled rage. He said he 'put Arthur in this position' and that he set the rules in the house which Tustin only followed to a 'certain degree'. Both defendants denied being responsible, or even knowing salt poisoning was a factor in Arthur's death until much later. A man accused of murdering his son said he "probably" valued his partner's love and affection over his child's welfare. Hughes was found guilty of child cruelty counts 2 (standing in isolation) and 3 (assaults). Warning - this article contains distressing content. The couple were struck by the state of the boy they had last seen in February. No-one else. Ms Tustin took pictures and recorded audio clips and videos of Arthur being punished, sending them to Mr Hughes, jurors were told. 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. All it did was underline her inhumane treatment of her step-son. 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. Emma Tustin, Thomas Hughes and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Emma Tustin is referred to using her surname throughout this article. She is currently in jail for the manslaughter of 29-year-old delivery driver Gary Cunningham in their home. Ms Kavanagh repeated she had 'no safeguarding concerns' about Arthur. Hughes initially admitted he was 'accountable' for Arthur's death and said: "There's a long ways to go but I'm guilty of it. In particular, he suffered a detached retina which a pathologist said was 'very, very rare' in child head trauma cases. He would stand there alone while his father enjoyed chocolates and other treats in the kitchen with Tustin and her own children. She said she recommended an early help programme including 'life story' work for Arthur, but Hughes declined it. Suite 325 Cincinnati, OH 45211. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The jury was also shown images mapping the catalogue of bruises to Arthur's body. CEO and Legal Counsel. 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. 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. They all agreed that the most likely mechanism that caused the injuries was a shaking-type motion with one or more impacts. Tustin complied, and by the time he died experts said the extent of Arthur's injuries met the medical definition of child torture. By contrast, Hughes was emotionless in the witness box. In the space of just 18 months Arthur went from a bright and bubbly boy to a weak and emaciated one terrified for his life. You did this to him.". "I effectively killed my son. 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. 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. Furious inmates 'toss salt at killer stepmum' who tortured Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Jaws of a giant killer creature found on Yorkshire beach, The trial took a number of twists and turns as the prosecution, Heartbroken family of Yorkshire mum who died after freak incident with a goose still searching for answers, Nativity's Jason Watkins and other cast members now - from tragic death of daughter to Call the Midwife and the West End stage. By Riyah Collins. Shortly after the conviction, the government announced that there would be a national inquiry into the case. 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. The child collapsed to the floor as they left the hairdresser's but was not helped by either Tustin or Thomas when he arrived. Thomas Hughes had been jailed for. Tustin regularly stated she could not explain her behaviour and claimed it was only now she was 'out of the situation' she could see how bad things were at the time. An eight-week trial at Coventry Crown Court. His treasured possessions, including a favourite blanket, teddy bear and his beloved Birmingham City football shirts, were torn up and destroyed before his eyes by an enraged Hughes as another twisted punishment. 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. Text messages between Tustin and Hughes told the story of their fracturing relationship and exposed their violent intent towards Arthur. [15] More broadly the child was honoured at various football matches on 4 December 2021. 2023 BBC. Hughes made his confessions to the police in the subsequent interviews after the van journey. He suffered a cardiac arrest, but medics got his heart beating and rushed him to Birmingham Children's Hospital. I haven't got a leg to stand on.". Tustin could be heard 'policing' Arthur in some of the clips barking 'stand still, stand still'. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. I just heard it. In reply Judge Wall said the police interviews were only part of the evidence they were to hear. 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. Tustin and Hughes manipulated visitors, told them his bruises were down to play. It threw up the first major question in the trial, why was it there? ", "The little boy who stood no chance with two killer parents and a hateful stepmum", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: A life cut short by cruelty", "Social worker said 'play' caused boy's bruises weeks before his death, jury told", "Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: What do we know about his life and death? Hughes' WhatsApp messages became increasingly malevolent. The pair also face an allegation of child cruelty by administering salt to Arthur between 1 and 17 June last year. The trial took a number of twists and turns as the prosecution detailed how Arthur was made to stand in isolation for up to 14 hours a day, was assaulted, deprived of food and water as well as poisoned with salt. Ms Kavanagh repeated she had 'no safeguarding concerns' about Arthur. The jury was told that Arthur's head injuries were comparable to someone who had been in a serious car accident. The jury was told medical evidence revealed the boy died from "head trauma inflicted on him by an adult" and the most likely cause was that he had been "vigorously shaken and his head banged repeatedly against a hard surface". Hughes claimed he was 'gaslighted' and 'mentally abused' by Tustin who he said was 'constantly' over his shoulder telling him to 'whack' Arthur and instructing how to discipline him. The vast majority of the recordings were of Arthur crying. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (4 January 2014 17 June 2020) was a six-year-old child living in the West Midlands, England who was abused and subsequently killed by his carers during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the first day of the trial, Ms Tustin admitted child cruelty by ill-treating, while Mr Hughes denies a similar charge. He had consumed at least six-and-a-half teaspoons of salt the day he was fatally injured. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, died of a brain injury on 17 June 2020. Tustin was equally vile. The same witness said that when Arthur "secretly" asked him for a drink of water, while Mr Hughes and Ms Tustin were out of the room, "he had to hold [the glass] to Arthur's mouth" because he was "too weak to hold it himself". He was monitored on CCTV set up around the home, cameras that would eventually capture Tustin callously trying to administer Calpol to the boy she had murdered just out of view in the hallway. She feigned contrition repeatedly describing her treatment to Arthur as 'absolutely disgraceful' and purporting she was 'disgusted in myself'. She was asked to retrieve her notes of the visit and return to the witness box at a later stage in the trial. May 2020: Tustins stepfather, John Dutton, said he made an anonymous referral to social services because he felt Arthur was in danger. UK - Arthur Labinjo Hughes, 6, killed, dad & friend from www.websleuths.com Trial begins as court hears parents 'murdered' him after months of abuse | daily mail online another heartbreaking . Hughes was found guilty of child cruelty counts 2 (standing in isolation) and 3 (assaults). He had been confined to the house as a 'punishment' for most of the first national lockdown while the Covid-19 pandemic swept through the country, reports BirminghamLive. Giving evidence on the sixth day of the couple's trial, Tustin's hairdresser . Arthur changed schools to Dickens Heath Community Primary School[6][7] and moved into an annex behind his paternal grandparents' home, with his father. Additionally, Tustin photographed Arthur crying in the hallway at 2:15pm. She said: "I was not near Arthur. One witness said the previously happy and healthy boy looked "as though he were broken" on the day of his death. At one point he said: "The thing is how can I plead not guilty? The texts of his violent intent, the holes he smashed through the living room door and CCTV footage of him dragging Arthur around like an animal exposed his real 'short-tempered, wicked' nature. She said: "I was not near Arthur. The alleged incident took place. 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. Shown CCTV of her slapping the boy to the head, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and waking him up by ripping the duvet from underneath him, Tustin admitted she had been cruel by assaulting Arthur - despite previously pleading not guilty to that particular offence. Send your story ideas to: [email protected], Man and partner in court over his son's death, Disruption for motorists as major section of motorway closes for works, Dudley first aid group "thrilled" at kind CCTV donation, 'I suffered horror symptoms for 8 years before docs diagnosed me - here's what I want people to know', Landmark Great Barr pub is closing its doors tomorrow (May 2), Nurses in Birmingham walk out over pay but business as usual at Black Country hospitals, Police find 'interesting items' in suspected stolen car, Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan. Hughes allegedly spoke of putting him up for adoption. Tustin saw Arthur as an enemy and threat to her relationship with Hughes. While much of the exchanges were inaudible Tustin could be heard regularly asking what Hughes had said to the police. [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 six-year-old boy allegedly murdered by his father and his girlfriend was on one occasion "brought into the house by the scruff of his neck", a jury has heard. Shortly after 13:00 that day, the family was back home. Hughes confessed to treating Arthur 'like a prisoner' by making him stay in the hallway for the 'majority of the time', adding his discipline had 'gone horribly wrong'. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? [11] She is being held at HMP Peterborough. So distressing were the clips that Judge Mark Wall dissuaded the prosecution from playing all of them. Is climate change killing Australian wine? She said she was told Arthur and Tustins son had been playfighting with boxing gloves resulting in the bruises, and said she could see a single faint bruise in the middle of Arthurs back. In one message she said 'f****** launch this lying little f***' and in another she warned she was 'going to chin this little c***'. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. At best her evidence was inconsistent, at worst, her testimony was an utter shambles. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: father and partner found guilty of killing son, six. As Arthur returned to school after the summer holidays, a teaching assistant stated that she had 'no concerns' about his wellbeing. Worried relatives of the Solihull six-year-old had reported concerns, so were there failures by authorities? 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. Tustin and Hughes simply kept him out of view. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes is referred to using his first name throughout this article due to his age. 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.". There were between 100 to 130 marks in total including 30 to his head and neck. I didn't see it. [8], When Arthur's school reopened on 8 June he was not in attendance; Thomas Hughes was contacted by the school about the matter but provided various excuses for the child's absence. By April, social services and police had paid a visit after referrals from his concerned grandmother, Joanne Hughes, and an anonymous tip off from Tustin's own parents. Tustin pleaded guilty to child cruelty counts 2 and 3. Kidney consultant Dr Malcolm Coulthard told the court that when Arthur arrived at hospital he was suffering from severe hypernatremia - raised sodium levels. She said his physical appearance seemed fine and, as his aggression and anxiety had reduced, she concluded there was no mental health issue. Tustin was repeatedly shown the living room footage from that afternoon but could not provide a consistent account of what happened at what time. She refuted the allegation. There was also an incident during a School Nativity play where Arthur became upset when a baby doll was removed from its crib. He tried to seduce Tustin to have sex while Arthur was in the hallway, and in one text he told her to 'put him outside or wherever, give him away, put him out with the rubbish'. The prosecutor said Ms Tustin recorded more than 200 audio files of Arthur in "various stages of distress". The neglect and murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was possible because vulnerable children "slipped from view" during the pandemic, the former children's commissioner for England . Minutes later, Arthur was unconscious. "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. Thomas Hughes and his six-year-old son Arthur Labinjo-Hughes A Solihull man accused of murdering his six-year-old son claimed his girlfriend was 'jealous' and tried to 'drive a wedge'. The six-year-old died in hospital from a brain injury after he was found fatally injured at a house in Shirley, Solihull. Hughes took Tustin's children to the supermarket, leaving his own son in mortal danger. [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. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes suffered a fatal collapse while at Emma Tustin's home in Solihull All the while, Arthur was cut off from those who loved him and could help him. Between June 12 to June 14 he was ordered to stay there for more than 35 hours in total. Six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes tragically died last year in the hallway of a home in Cranmore Road, Shirley in the West Midlands, after suffering from catastrophic head injuries. 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. Medical experts dominated the proceedings for an entire week. Mr Hughes, 29, of Stroud Road, and Ms Tustin allegedly forced Arthur to endure "systematic, cruel behaviour", both "physical and psychological" in the weeks before he died. Prosecutors noted how the day Arthur was fatally injured, there was barely an indication that he even lived at number 39 Cranmore Road, such was his isolation from the rest of the family. Another unusual feature was the fact Tustin obsessively recorded more than 200 voice notes of Arthur during lockdown. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. In February 2019, Labinjo-Halcrow stabbed her new partner, Gary Cunningham, to death after a period of mutual domestic violence. Tustin said at one point to Thomas that "I want you but I don't want him". Mr Hankin branded her a 'pitiless, cruel woman' who 'hated' Arthur. "At the time I thought I was doing the right thing by my unborn child. [8] At the time of his death, a medical review found that he was covered in 130 bruises, that he had been poisoned with salt, and that the extent of his injuries were compared to torture. When Labinjo-Halcrow[d] killed her partner in February 2019, responsibility for the boy was transferred to his father. By contrast, Hughes was emotionless in the witness box. There was no way the six-year-old boy could inflict these "unsurvivable" injuries on himself. She wants the world to remember her son, not for the harrowing end to his short life, but for his superpower - his smile. She explained she was told Arthur had a playfight with Tustin's son which resulted in both being hurt. Backed into a corner, all Tustin could do was deny culpability with no credible alternative explanation. Arthur was "segregated and isolated" for "up to 14 hours a day", the court was told, often made to stay on the step next to the hallway by the front door, and prevented from having food and drink. We pay respect by giving voice to social justice, acknowledging our shared history and valuing the cultures of First Nations. Far from being a loving father, he completely let down his vulnerable son. She was not to see him again until he was fighting for his life in intensive care. He portrayed himself as dim-witted, lacking in confidence and completely submissive to Tustin's assertive control. [22], Due to the nature of Arthur's injuries and the accounts given by Tustin and Thomas Hughes, both parents were arrested on the evening of 16 June initially on suspicion of assault and then murder. The child was secretly given a drink of water by the hairdresser's partner, who later described him as "gaunt", "malnourished" and "a poor little kid who was broken". I don't want other people to suffer for my ignorance, my neglect. She claimed it was in fact Arthur who was the aggressor in the house, that he had treated the couple badly, causing them "daily stress". 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. ", "The chilling parallels between the murders of Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes", "Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: why were chances to intervene missed? In light of the revelations a juror asked if they were seriously expected to believe Hughes was not guilty of any child cruelty offence. 20 April 2020: Joanne Hughes told Arthurs school about the referral to social services. His. 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. The boy was mistreated over the course of several months by his father, Thomas Hughes, and his father's partner, Emma Tustin. Thomas Hughes, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Emma Tustin. Mr Hankin branded her a 'pitiless, cruel woman' who 'hated' Arthur. Hughes confessed to treating Arthur 'like a prisoner' by making him stay in the hallway for the 'majority of the time', adding his discipline had 'gone horribly wrong'. I didn't kill him. 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. Although he was not present for the final attack on Arthur, he was also found culpable for his death for the months of abuse he enforced himself and encouraged from Tustin. Tustin saw Arthur as an enemy and threat to her relationship with Hughes. It was a lie. They each deny murder. Hughes returned home and a 999 call was made at 2.42pm. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. She described his appearance as skeletal and said his legs were shaking like he couldnt hold himself up. Hughes claimed he was 'gaslighted' and 'mentally abused' by Tustin who he said was 'constantly' over his shoulder telling him to 'whack' Arthur and instructing how to discipline him. We're first for breaking news in Yorkshire - and now we have a Facebook group where you can keep up to date. She was asked to retrieve her notes of the visit and return to the witness box at a later stage in the trial. Beyond shame and sadness, the only fitting response is a promise to . "I effectively killed my son. It threw up the first major question in the trial, why was it there? Later that evening, Thomas belted Arthur's legs and later told Tustin to "Just end him". Since that moment, Tustin has sought to deflect blame. The camera also recorded the couple and Tustin's children enjoying food and leisure activities which Arthur was not allowed to participate in. [11] Arthur was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital; however, doctors were unable to save him and he died later that night. Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was allegedly killed after suffering systemic abuse which matched the 'medical definition of child torture', including being deprived of food, made to stand for 14 . The couple installed a camera at home to monitor Arthur during his isolation. The couple are also accused of multiple counts of child cruelty.
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