Mother, stepfather and stepbrother all given life sentences for logan’s murder
THE mother, stepfather and stepbrother of a five-year-old boy whose battered body was found dumped in a river have been given life sentences for murder.
Logan Mwangi was beaten to death, suffering dozens of injuries, and dumped in the River Ogmore near his home in Sarn, Bridgend.
His mother, stepfather and teenage stepbrother were all found guilty of murder following a trial earlier this year. They were yesterday handed life sentences for the heinous crime at Cardiff Crown Court.
Logan’s mother Angharad Williamson, 31, of Lower Llansantffraid, Sarn, Bridgend, and stepdad John Cole, 40, of Maesglas, Ynysawdre, Bridgend, denied his murder. Logan’s stepbrother, 14-yearold Craig Mulligan, also pleaded not guilty to murder and all three stood trial.
The Crown said 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 were 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 Mulligan 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. Cole, Williamson, and Mulligan were all convicted of murder, while both Williamson and Mulligan were found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
They returned to Cardiff Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced by Mrs Justice Jefford. Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC, in her submissions to the court, suggested the guidelines indicated the starting point for the adult defendants should be 30 years in prison. That prompted Williamson, who sat in the dock with her head bowed, to let out a gasp.
In respect of Mulligan, she said the minimum tariff would be one of 12 years but due to the features of the perverting the course of justice charge she suggested there should be a “significant uplift”.
“Logan Mwangi was only five years old and was of particularly tender years,” the prosecutor said. Mrs Justice Jefford said Logan was 3ft 5in tall and weighed 3st 1lb.
Ms Rees told the court: “Logan was physically and emotionally vulnerable at the time of his death, particularly those days leading up to his death when he had Covid and was isolated in his room.
“Both adult defendants were in a position of trust as his stepfather John Cole and his biological mother Angharad Williamson.
“These are people who Logan should have been able to trust, not kill him in the way they did in this case.
“The murderous assault on Logan
involved extreme and forceful impact to cause internal injuries of those expected in a high-velocity road traffic collision or fall from great height.”
Ms Rees said Logan “would have suffered pain of such magnitude as a result of the fatal attack on him it would have required morphine”.
She told the court: “Medical evidence shows such injuries would have been obvious to those who inflicted the injuries such as these defendants.
“No medical assistance was sought despite ample opportunity to do so. Had medical treatment been sought, Logan Mwangi would have had an 80% chance of survival.
“The defendants worked together to dispose of the dead body under the cover of darkness and dumped the body in the River Ogmore, treating him like fly-tipped rubbish. The defendants disposed of incriminating evidence such as the dinosaur pyjama top and washing sheets on his bed…
“The defendants agreed to falsely report Logan missing to police and persisted in that lie to police, hospital staff, family, and friends until John Cole made admissions in his prepared statement on August 1, 2021. The 999 call sought to point the finger to [another woman] who was entirely blameless in connection with Logan’s death.
“The body-worn footage demonstrates the lengths they were prepared to go to protect themselves and conceal the true circumstances of Logan’s death.”
Cole was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 29 years before he is eligible for parole.
Williamson silently wept as she was told she must serve at least 28 years. Mulligan was sentenced to life detention, with his minimum term set at 15 years.
As she sentenced the trio, Mrs Justice Jefford said Logan was “described by everyone who knew him as a wonderful child” who was “bright, chatty and artistic – a little boy who could light up a room”.
She added: “There is no word for his death other than it was a tragedy.”
The judge continued: “Because he was killed in his own home, it’s not possible to be sure exactly what happened to him. What is very clear is shortly before his death this little boy was subjected to a brutal attack.
“There were 50 external injuries on his body, a blunt force trauma injury to his head, another non-fatal injury caused 36 hours before his death. Elsewhere on his body were injuries consistent with three to four punches to the abdomen and kicks to the rear.
“He suffered substantial internal bleeding. There was a tear to the lower part of the lobe of the liver, a 5cm tear to the right of the small bowel, the duodenum had been torn from the pancreas, and there was a degloving injury to the duodenum. These are the sort of injuries caused by a high-velocity impact or a fall from 10ft but they are consistent with the sort of injuries seen in abused children.”
She said the injuries were indicative of a severe localised blunt force caused by a weapon or object.
The judge added: “To see these injuries on a small, defenceless five-yearold is nothing short of horrifying.”
Mrs Justice Jefford described the week leading up to Logan’s death when he was isolated in his room after contracting Covid-19.
She said: “The way you treated Logan was extreme. He was kept isolated in his bedroom for 10 days. There was a baby gate which served to keep Logan in and he had no physical contact with his mother. When food was brought to him, he was required to turn away.
“At the age of five he was expected to entertain himself with toys and screens all day. This treatment of Logan was cruel and that dehumanised him in the eyes of his parents. Teachers described him as engaging and well-behaved but you described him as badly behaved, naughty and attention-seeking.
“You punished him by taking away food and made him face a wall for half an hour at a time. Neighbours heard you shouting aggressively and nastily. Angharad Williamson was heard saying, ‘Stop acting like a f ****** d***head’ and said he had been ‘running around like an absolute toon’ and sitting on the floor and refusing to get up. In all probability he was already dying and what you described was the presentation of the injuries he received.”
Following the sentencing, Mani Ranuata of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This was a callous and coldhearted killing. Logan was described as a happy, chatty, five-year-old child; a child who stood little chance of protecting himself from the people who should have been giving him care.
“It was important for the CPS to present the strongest possible case to obtain justice for Logan and we are pleased this has now been achieved.
“This shocking case will undoubtedly stay with my colleagues and I and our thoughts remain with Logan.”
Meanwhile, child protection charity NSPCC has called for more funding for children’s services.
Assistant director of NSPCC Cymru/ Wales Tracey Holdsworth said: “What happened to Logan should never be forgotten and it should make us even more determined in our efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.
“It is vital that the child safeguarding practice review leaves no stone unturned in establishing exactly what took place before Logan died and whether more could have been done to protect him.
“We need investment in children’s services in Wales to provide comprehensive support to any child at risk of harm and to be better equipped to prevent a tragedy such as this happening again.”