Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘Poisoned with salt by dad & step mum’ claim
A BOY was murdered by his dad and stepmum after months of abuse including being poisoned with salt, a court heard.
Six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-hughes went to live with father Thomas Hughes, 29, and stepmum Emma Tustin, 32, after his mother was jailed for manslaughter.
The pair allegedly subjected him to “systematic, cruel behaviour” including forcing him to stand on a hallway step for 14 hours a day.
He was ordered to sleep on the floor and “deprived of basic living comforts”, it is claimed.
Paramedics were called to the family home in June last year. They restarted his heart and rushed him to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said Arthur sustained “unsurvivable brain injuries” while in Tustin’s care. He died the following day.
DYING
Notes from hospital doctors who treated him also revealed Arthur had been “poisoned with salt” and had extensive bruising.
Mr Hankin told jurors the injuries were consistent with being shaken and having his head banged repeatedly against a hard surface.
He said Tustin took a photo of Arthur as he lay dying but waited another 12 minutes before ringing 999 and falsely claiming he had fallen.
Mr Hankin said Tustin had recorded more than 200 audio files of her stepson while he was in “various stages of distress”.
In one, he said: “Please help me, help me uncle, they’re not feeding me, I need some food and a drink.” Mr Hankin told Coventry crown court Arthur “could barely open his mouth to speak” in the days before his death.
Hughes and Tustin deny murder. Tustin has admitted one count of child cruelty but denies three other counts. Hughes denies four counts of child cruelty. The trial continues.