CANCER-HIT
THE jailing of tragic little Logan Mwangi’s killers has intensified campaigning mum Paula Hudgell’s call for a child cruelty register.
On Thursday a heartless trio, including a boy of 14, were jailed for life for the murder of five-year-old Logan, whose battered body was forced into a holdall and dumped in a river.
Two days earlier Tony’s Law – named after Tony Hudgell who lost both legs because of horrific injuries inflicted by his birth parents – came into force.
It increases the maximum sentences for causing or allowing the death of a child from 14 years to life; and allowing serious harm from 10 to 14 years.
A day earlier Tony’s adoptive mum Paula, who has bowel cancer, continued her battle for vulnerable kids by meeting a minister and a Home Office panel to discuss a register to keep a check on those convicted of cruelty offences.
Her call comes in the wake of other appalling cases of children tortured and killed by their parents and their partners.
Paula said: “Little Logan’s brutal death at the hands of these monsters is wicked beyond belief and another reason why so much more still needs to be done to protect children.
Haunting
“It makes me cry and shake with anger knowing not only of the horrendous fear, pain and suffering he endured but also of the missed opportunities to save him from systematic abuse.”
Logan’s body was found in the River Ogmore, near his home in Sarn, Bridgend, in July 2021. His stepdad
John Cole, 40, will serve a minimum of 29 years,
Logan’s mother, Angharad Williamson, 30, at least 28 years, and Craig Mulligan,
14, 15 years.
Paula said: “It’s a chilling echo of the tragic deaths of
Star Hobson, Arthur Labinjo-hughes, and
Kyrell Matthews, and with reports of child cruelty and neglect having risen during lockdown, I fear we will hear more haunting stories as they reach the courts.
“Sadly, a child cruelty register won’t save these poor, defenceless babies, but it would be a vital tool for the authorities to keep a check on those convicted of such horrific abuse once released from jail.”
In October 2019, Kyrell, aged two, died after weeks of cruelty by his mum Phylesia Shirley, 24, and her ex, Kemar Brown, 28, at Thornton Heath, southeast London. He was jailed for at least 25 years for murder and Shirley 13 years for manslaughter.
Arthur was murdered in June 2020 by his stepmother Emma Tustin at their home in Solihull, West Midlands. The victim’s dad Thomas Hughes was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter and Tustin for a minimum of 29 years.
Three months later 16-month-old Star, of Keighley, West Yorks, was murdered by Savannah Brockhill, the girlfriend of the tot’s mum Frankie Smith. Brockhill, 28, was jailed for a minimum of 25 years. Smith’s eightyear term for allowing or causing the death was later increased to 12.
Paula said she has received a huge amount of public support for the register, including from frontline police officers, nurses, doctors, and foster carers. She said: “Evil monsters like John Cole and Angharad Williamson make headlines. But what about those who don’t make the news and spend just a few years behind bars before being freed back into society?
“Their names may not be known by the public and they could soon be enjoying new relationships with existing children or moving to a
new area.
Logan’s death at the hands of these monsters
is so wicked
Fractures
“Your next-door neighbour could have physically harmed a child and you would have no idea, and police may not know their whereabouts or movements because there is currently no way of keeping track.
“A child cruelty register would address this and provide that additional layer of protection.”
Paula started her campaign for Tony’s Law after her son’s mother and father were jailed in 2018.
She said: “There has to be some way of policing their movements in a similar way to the sex offender register where perpetrators have to inform police of their address, any change of name and any bank accounts they hold.
“We already have Sarah’s Law which allows parents and carers to ask police for information if concerned about those having contact with their child in respect of a potential risk of sexual harm, and Claire’s Law for anyone wanting to know if their partner has a previous history of domestic abuse.”
Paula raised the need for such a register in a meeting with Justice Minister Dominic Raab in November last year.
He gave her his full support and instigated the meeting on Monday.
She said: “It was definitely promising but it took four years to bring about Tony’s Law so I know there is a long way to go yet.
“It would need to be developed with the police so that it is operable.”
Tony was fostered and then adopted by Paula and husband Mark, 57, of West Malling, Kent, after suffering life-changing injuries when he was 41 days old.
He had numerous limb fractures inflicted by Jody Simpson and Tony Smith which then developed into life