Jury retires in trial of trio accused of murdering Logan, 5
AJUDGE has urged the jurors in the Logan Mwangi murder trial not to be swayed by their emotions when they reach their verdict.
The five-year-old’s battered body was found in a river near his home in Bridgend – with pathologists saying he had suffered the kind of injuries usually found in car crash victims.
The jury retired yesterday afternoon to begin their deliberations in the case.
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 bedlinen, 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.
Trial judge Nerys Jefford has given the jury a series of legal directions, which set out how they should reach their verdicts.
Mrs Justice Jefford took the jury through a Route to Verdict document which they will be using to assist their deliberations.
The judge said: “We have now finally come to the point after many weeks of asking you to retire to consider your verdicts.”
She asked the jury to return separate verdicts for each defendant and asked them to try to return unanimous verdicts. She said there was no time pressure on the jury.
Mrs Justice Jefford, in her summing up yesterday, referred to comments made by the youth defendant following his arrest for Logan’s murder.
The youth said: “I love kids, I f****** love kids, I love punching kids in the head, it’s orgasmic.”
The youth also wrote in an activity ringbinder “I’m scared of going to prison”.
n another occasion, the youth said: “Where are the kids? I want to kill all the kids” and “I did some bad stuff which I’m not allowed to talk about.”
The judge referred to the medical evidence.
The court heard Logan had suffered 56 external injuries and marks on his body. An internal examination showed extensive deep scalp bruising to the back of Logan’s head, bleeding to the lower abdomen and mid part of the back. There were tears to the liver and bowel and a tear and degloving injury to the duodenum. There was also extensive bleeding in the bowel, and a fracture to the left collarbone which was believed to be several weeks old.
Williamson cried in the dock as the evidence was recounted by the judge.
Injuries to Logan were indicative of severe localised blunt-force injury caused by a blow, kick or weapon.
The cause of death was given as blunt-force abdominal injury and head injury.
Mrs Justice Jefford reminded the jury that the youth defendant did not give evidence in the case.
The jury was reminded of Cole’s evidence.
Cole denied that he and the youth attacked Logan on Thursday, July 29, and claimed Williamson shook Logan by the arms before storming out of the house.
Mrs Justice Jefford referred to the evidence of Cole in relation to the day before Logan’s body was found.
Cole said Logan was “in the naughty corner a lot” and he smacked the back of Logan’s hand and “clipped” the back of his head.
He said Williamson also went to hit Logan over the head but caught his cheek, and ripped his dinosaur top.
Cole said Logan didn’t eat his food. He showered him, but he was climbing out of the bath and running around.
He said they tried to put him to bed at 8pm but Cole said he went to bed at midnight when Logan was “still kicking off”.
Mrs Justice Jefford turned to Williamson’s evidence given in court.
During her evidence, she said: “I loved the bones of that boy” and said she and Logan “did everything together”.
She said she met Cole in 2019 and they began a relationship and described themselves as the “perfect little family”.