Accused youth had ‘desire for violence’ murder jury told
THE youth defendant in the Logan Mwangi murder trial was described as having a “desire for violence” during the judge’s summing up in the case.
The trial of three people accused of murdering Logan Mwangi is entering the final stages.
Logan’s mother Angharad Williamson, 31, of Lower Llansantffraid, Sarn, Bridgend, and stepdad John Cole, 40, of Maesglas, Ynysawdre, Bridgend, deny his murder. A third defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, has also pleaded not guilty to murder and all are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
The Crown says that Logan had been subjected to a “brutal and sustained assault” prior to his death and suffered the kind of injuries usually seen in car crash victims before his body was dumped in the River Ogmore.
All three defendants are also accused of perverting the course of justice including moving Logan’s body to the river near Pandy Park, removing his clothing, washing bloodstained bed linen, and making a false missing person report to police.
Williamson and the youth pleaded not guilty to both offences while Cole denied murder but admitted perverting the course of justice. Williamson and Cole were also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child, which they both denied.
Both the prosecution and the defence cases closed before the Bank Holiday break.
Trial judge Nerys Jefford has given the jury a series of legal directions, which sets out how they should reach their verdict.
During her summing up, the judge reminded the jury about evidence relating to the youth defendant which was in the form of written statements from a foster family who cared for him.
In a statement, the foster mother described the youth as having a “desire for violence” who was always “sparring” with himself and with anyone who came to the house “as if to prove he was bigger and better” than anyone else, something which could be intimidating to visitors.
She also said on one occasion the youth grabbed the family dog – which had an injured pelvis – by the back legs and picked it up, and on another occasion was seen squirting deodorant into the dog’s eyes.
The judge also described how on occasion he tried to get her to play down by the river on her own – but she was scared by this and did not go. The youth also tried to get her young nieces to play a “murder game” and put them in black bags.
The witness described how one day he slashed a paddling pool with a knife, and how he told her that when the new Purge film came out he was going to kill her parents.
The judge reminded the jury that a social worker dealing with the youth had a “different view” of some of these incidents, and attributed some of the issues to “problems in the foster family”.
The judge also referred to the evidence of Fred Witchell, a neighbour who lived in the next block of flats to the flats where Logan, Cole and Williamson lived. This witness told the court that he would hear arguments and swearing coming from the flat where the defendants lived.
The judge told the jurors about evidence they heard from paramedics and police officers who responded to the report of a missing child, and about what the defendant Williamson said to them.
She said the defence argument was that Williamson’s interactions with the officers was what you would expect from a woman who had woken to find her child missing.
The prosecution had asked the jury to draw the opposite inference – that it was “all part of an act”.
Mrs Justice Jefford turned to the evidence of Sarah Jones, a prison officer from HMP Cardiff. In her evidence – which was in the form of a written statement which was read to the court – the officer recalled a number of comments Cole had made to her on September 1 after he had been remanded into custody, including, “I don’t know why they think I could have murdered Logan…” and “I’ve got a moral dilemma, do I go down for murder or protect (name of the youth)?”
The trial resumes at 10am today when the judge will finish her summing up. Once that has been completed, the jury will retire to consider their verdicts.