https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-accused-murdering-son-retches-26519744?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_morning_newsletter2&utm_medium=emailMum accused of murdering Logan Mwangi retches in dock as extensive injuries read out
WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: Logan Mwangi was found dead in a river next to a park after suffering the kind of injuries usually found in car crash victims, Cardiff Crown Court has been told
By Philip Dewey
17:46, 21 Mar 2022 Updated 19:27, 21 Mar 2022
A mother accused of murdering her five-year-old son cried and retched as prosecutors detailed the full extent of her son's catastrophic injuries. Logan Mwangi was found dead in a river next to a park after suffering the kind of injuries usually found in car crash victims, Cardiff Crown Court was told. His mum Angharad Williamson, 30, and her partner John Cole, 40, alongside a youth are accused of murdering the youngster. Logan suffered more than 56 injuries before his body was dumped like "fly tipping". All three deny being responsible for his death and are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court. On Monday, jurors were warned that the evidence will be "difficult to listen to" ahead pathologist Dr John Williams' testimony, reports WalesOnline. Dr Williams performed a post mortem on Logan on August 1, 2021, the day after his body was found in the River Ogmore near Pandy Park in Bridgend. The witness told the jury he found 56 external injuries on Logan’s body in total. Dr Williams later added: “The court heard there were features indicating a period of survival following injuries being sustained which may have been up to several hours. The findings do not indicate death occurred immediately after injuries were sustained."
He said the severity of these injuries may be expected with a fall or collapse, and absent of a high velocity accident, the injuries are consistent with “a blow or blows, a kick or kicks or impact of impacts with a weaponâ€.
The medical cause of Logan’s death was given as blunt force abdominal injury and cerebral injury including brain swelling, hypoxic ischemic neuronal injury and traumatic brain injury. At a number of points during the evidence, Williamson could be heard crying the dock - and retching at one point. As part of its case, the Crown says while it cannot show exactly what happened, all three defendant's had tried to "desperately cover up their involvement in his death".
The trial has previously heard that Willamson phoned 999 at 5.46am on August 31 to report her son missing a call that the Crown alleges Logan's mum was "playing the part of a distraught mother to the full extent of her acting abilities".
All three defendants 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, from Sarn, Bridgend, and the youth pleaded not guilty to both offences. Cole, of Maesglas, Ynysawdre, Bridgend, has 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. The trial continues.
