Logan Mwangi: Boy, five, could have survived for hours

A five-year-old boy may have survived for "up to several hours" after receiving severe injuries to his abdomen, a court has heard.

The body of Logan Mwangi was found in the River Ogmore in Sarn, Bridgend county, last July with 56 injuries.

These included a liver tear and part of his small bowel torn from his pancreas.

Logan's mother Angharad Williamson, 31, his stepfather John Cole, 40, and a 14-year-old boy deny murder at Cardiff Crown Court.

Details of injuries were given to jurors on Monday.

Forensic pathologist Dr John Williams outlined 56 external injuries, including extensive bruising and some grazes and scratches across the boy's head, chest, back, arms and legs.

Dr Williams described the injuries to Logan's bowel as "rare" in children, with possible causes a motor vehicle crash, a bicycle accident, or non-accidental injury.

In the absence of a "high velocity accident", they were likely to have been caused by blows, kicks or "impacts with a weapon", he added.

Dr Williams said duodenal injures (part of the small bowel) are "commonly recorded" in abused children.

He told the jury there was evidence of changes to some of the abdominal injuries, suggesting the "healing process had started" which "indicated a period of survival that may have potentially been up to several hours".

During cross-examination, Dr Williams accepted that it could have been the case that Logan survived for a much shorter period of time and clarified by saying: "The features would dictate that death has not occurred immediately and that the injuries have not been sustained following death."

Dr Williams said there was also evidence of "extensive deep scalp bruising over the back of the head" which was "consistent with blunt force injuries".

A cause of death was given as "blunt force abdominal injury and cerebral injury including brain swelling and traumatic brain injury".

Despite the fact Logan was found in a river, pathologists found no evidence he had drowned.

Later on Monday, Dr George Lammie, a neuropathologist who examined Logan's brain and spinal cord, told the trial the boy's brain was "significantly swollen" and there was "evidence of recent traumatic damage and evidence of damage due to a lack of oxygen".

He said there was evidence of "axonal injury" which was generally caused by "rapid acceleration or deceleration of a moving brain".

He explained that to be able to detect that kind of injury, as well as some of the deterioration of cells, a certain time period had to have passed between injury and death.

Dr Lammie added it was possible Logan could have suffered more than one head injury and survived for "several hours" after being injured, but could not say for sure whether swelling from the brain or blood loss from abdominal injuries was the immediate cause of death.

All three defendants deny murder and are also accused of perverting the course of justice.

Ms Williamson and the youth have pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice, while Mr Cole admitted the charge.

The trial continues.