Logan Mwangi murder: Mum, stepdad and teen found guilty

A mother, stepfather and a teenage boy have been found guilty of murdering a five-year-old boy and dumping his body in a river.

Angharad Williamson, 31, John Cole, 40, and a 14-year-old, who cannot be named, killed Logan Mwangi in July 2021.

Logan's body was found in the River Ogmore, close to his home in Sarn, Bridgend county.

He died after suffering a "brutal and sustained" attack at home, leaving him with "catastrophic" injuries.

The prosecution said Logan's body was dumped in the River Ogmore on 31 July like "fly-tipped rubbish".

Police officers found the schoolboy partially submerged in the water wearing a pair of dinosaur pyjama bottoms and a Spider-Man top just 250 metres from his home.

The youngster had 56 "catastrophic" injuries, including extensive bruising to the back of his head and tears in his liver and bowel, which experts said were so severe they were consistent with those seen in road traffic accidents.

Experts also said the injuries could have only been caused by a "brutal and sustained assault" inflicted on Logan in the hours, or days, prior to his death, adding the injuries were "consistent with child abuse".

During the trial, jurors had heard how Logan was treated like a prisoner in the days before his death.

On 20 July Logan tested positive for Covid-19 and the jury heard how he was shut in his bedroom with a baby gate barring him from leaving.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC said Williamson and Cole made him face the wall when they took him food.

The teenager had a "desire for violence" and pushed Logan down the stairs, breaking his arm.

A support worker once heard him singing: "I love to punch kids in the head, it's orgasmic."

The jury were also played extensive CCTV footage from nearby houses around the time of the incident, in it Cole and the teenager were seen at 02:43 BST on 31 July moving Logan's body to the nearby river where they dumped it.

They were caught again as they came back to the house to pick up the dinosaur pyjama top Logan had been wearing to take to the river, which police found in a wooded area with a big cut in.

Williamson told the jury she was asleep all night, but CCTV showed the lights going on and off in Logan's room and the curtains being opened.

There was also evidence showing she had used her phone at the time to watch videos on YouTube.

The jury were also played a frantic 999 call from Williamson recorded hours later telling police her son was missing.

They were also shown bodycam footage from police who arrived at the house shortly after, where Cole appeared to be comforting a distraught Williamson.

All of this, the jury found, were lies.

As Williamson was found guilty of murdering her son, she fell to the floor screaming "no, no, no".

She struggled being led from the dock and shouted at Cole, calling him a liar and a murderer.

The jury of seven women and five men took five hours to reach their verdicts after a trial lasting eight weeks at Cardiff Crown Court.

Some jurors became upset as the verdicts were handed down.

Cole had already pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, which Williamson and the boy denied, but both were found guilty.

They will all be sentenced at a later date.

Mrs Justice Jefford thanked the jury for the "exceptional public service" and said they had "listened to often very unpleasant and emotional evidence."

She said it was "no less than Logan Mwangi deserved". 

Mrs Justice Jefford said she would excuse them from undertaking jury service in the future because of the nature of the evidence they had listened to.

Logan's father, Ben Mwangi, honoured his son outside court saying he "was the most beautiful boy whose life has been tragically cut short".

"The wonderful memories I have of my son will never be tarnished - they will forever be in my heart and my soul," he said.

"I loved him so much and somehow I have to live my life knowing I will never get to see him grow up into the wonderful man I knew he could be."

Logan's school, Tondu Primary School, said the community "remains deeply saddened by his loss".

"Logan loved playing with his classmates, especially games like hide-and-seek or pretending to be superheroes.

"His favourite character was always Spider-Man, and he would display a keen and vivid imagination in his games.

"Ultimately, we remember Logan as being a bright, happy child who was caring and loving, and an absolute pleasure to teach."

Cwm Taf Morgannwg safeguarding board, which is responsible for the protection of children, said it has commissioned a Child Practice Review in relation to this case.

Agencies involved with Logan and his family will gather information to develop a timeline of significant events that took place prior to his death.

It will take about six months to complete.

The end of the trial may settle the question about who was responsible for Logan's murder, but there remain many questions about whether he could have been better protected.

Medics were concerned by a broken arm nearly a year before his murder, so alerted safeguarding authorities.

Later, a social worker was allocated to Logan's case.

He was put on the Child Protection Register, but was removed a month before his death, suggesting he was no longer believed to be at risk of significant harm.

Cole's violent history was known to social services as was the troubled, violent past of the teenager.

A foster family the teenager stayed with told the court that he had threatened to kill Logan.

Logan was checked on by a social worker, but wasn't seen because the family said he had Covid.

Covid restrictions amplified the pressures on families and made it harder for social workers to make checks.

But Logan was also telling his own story as best he could in a world where he had no power - the court heard he lost weight and his stammer got worse.

It will be the job of a child practice review to examine in detail the actions of the authorities. The earliest this will report is in the autumn.