A father accused of bullying his son, six years old, and murdering him in a ‘campaign for cruelty’, told police that he would be remembered as the dad who killed his son’.
Arthur Labinjo Hughes died in hospital after he was found unconscious at his home on Cranmore Road, Shirley, near Birmingham.
Thomas Hughes, 29, claimed that he was liable for the death Arthur Labinjo–Hughes. He killed him with Emma Tustin (32) at his home, according to court records.
According to reports, Arthur was subject to a systematic abuse designed to terrorize him by the couple.
Arthur was allegedly starved, forced to stand in a hallway for 14 hour a day, and poisoned with salt. He was then attacked by Tustin at his home near Solihull, West Mids.
Prosecutors claim that Arthur was subject to months of cruelty by Hughes, Tustin, which matches the’medical definitions of child torture’. They deny murder and multiple charges of child cruelty.
Hughes told police that Arthur spent a lot of his waking hours in isolation during lockdown. He also admitted to police: “I’ll be honest. Now, I’ve had a taste, it was the exact same as prison. It wasn’t pleasant, and it was wrong.
Hughes stated in transcripts that were read to jurors at Coventry Crown Court that Hughes was alive and well from lockdown until his death. Hughes spent more time in isolation.
‘I don’t remember the last time he was treated like a normal kid by myself. I don’t recall the last time he was allowed sit down and watch TV.
Hughes, who was not represented by a solicitor, revealed how he slapped Arthur and slashed his favorite football shirt.
He described how he sent Tustin text messages instructing him to ‘bounce Arthur’s head’ and ‘kill’ him. He also said that he had put in ‘punishment rules’ that would see his son be kept in the hallway from nearly the time when he would get up to bed’.
Thomas Hughes, 29 and Emma Tustin (32), are both accused of murder following the death of Arthur Labinjo Hughes (right). Hughes was found with an “unsurvivable brain injury” at his Solihull, Warwickshire home.
Emma Tustin (32), allegedly took 12 minutes for 999 to dial and took photos of the youngster lying dying in the hallway.
Hughes said to detectives while in custody that he knew it didn’t paint him in a bright light and that he won’t be remembered as the father he was.
“I’ll be remembered only as the dad who killed his son.” It was not what I wanted.
Arthur was said to have spent his day’segregated’ and isolated in a hallway, before being allowed to sleep on a living-room floor.
Hughes spoke out after being taken into custody by police and told detectives that he made ‘noises” while Arthur ate fish and chips and cut the boy’s favorite Birmingham City football shirt in front him.
Two days after Arthur’s death from fatal head injuries at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, June 17, 2020, the police interviewed Arthur to confirm that they had made the admissions.
He said, “I took some scissors to it, and ripped it up infront of him.
“He was upset. He had a meltdown. He loved football shirts.
“Because he loved his football shirts I made him put another one in a bin.
He continued, “I ripped his favorite blanket in front and put it in my bin.”
Arthur was taken into Hughes’ full-time care after Olivia Labinjo–Halcrow, her new partner, was accused of murdering Gary Cunningham in February 2019.
Jurors were told Hughes then accepted Tustin’s offer and moved into Hughes’ Cranmore Road home after the country entered lockdown on March 2020.
Hughes (left), is accused of forcing his child to endure ‘physical’ and ‘psychological’ abuses in the weeks prior to his death.
A memorial, including this BCFC teddy Bear, was left outside the Hughes family’s Solihull, West Midlands home.
Prosecutors claim that Tustin killed the youngster while she was at home alone with him and that Hughes ‘intentionally encouraged the killing’.
Tustin pleaded guilty to child cruelty, but denies any further charges. Hughes denies all charges.
Hughes stated in an interview that he believed Arthur’s treatment had led to his death. He also described Tustin’s character as ‘Mother Teresa’.
Officers were told by him that he had put Arthur in that situation and was responsible for it. I don’t believe that anyone else is.
“I put Arthur into that position and I have got to deal with it. Although it may seem far away, I am guilty of it.
‘I don’t want other people to suffer from my ignorance, my neglect.
Hughes said to a neighbor in Solihull (above), “If anyone says “don’t murder me”, ignore it. I’m not hurting you.”
Jurors also heard text messages from Hughes and Tustin, which discussed alleged abuse.
Hughes threatened to take his jaw off of his shoulders’ in one message and told Tustin that he would gag him. Attach a rope to Hughes’ mouth and wrap a sock around it.
Hughes admitted to police that the texts were in the heat of the moment when he was being questioned.
Tustin claimed that Arthur’s head injuries were self-inflicted in a 999 call 12 minutes after Arthur was discovered unresponsive. Tustin claimed that he had ‘banged on his head on all fours while lying on the ground’.
Hughes said that he hit Arthur’s head when he was not responding, and pulled his hair in an attempt to provoke a response.
He also said: “I said to Emma to dial the ambulance because she did not want to.”
The jury at Coventry Crown Court heard from Mr Hankin that Arthur was made to sleep on the living-room floor at Tustin’s home. He also said that he found a duvet in a cupboard under the stairs after his death.
Coventry Crown Court heard Hughes began hitting his head more than 200 time against the cell wall when he was taken into custody.
Jurors were informed by Arthur’s family that they raised concerns with police and social services in April 2020 after he was found with bruises on his back.
Joanne Hughes, his grandmother, took photos of the injuries to the boy’s back and told social services she was ‘concerned for her grandson’.
Uncle Daniel Hughes claimed that he also sent photos showing the bruises of the youngster to police after trying to visit Tustin’s home with other family members. But, he never heard back.
An earlier part of the trial, a medical expert stated that Arthur was shaken and slammed by’very severe force’.
Daniel Du Plessis, a neuropathologist consultant, said that Arthur could sustain fatal head injuries.
Jonas Hankin, QC, opened the trial by telling jurors that both defendants had participated in a campaign to cause Arthur significant suffering and harm.
‘Violence, intimidation, both verbal and physical, were a routine.
“Arthur’s obvious injuries, his poor physical condition, and apparent despair served as a reminder to each defendant of the extremes that the other would go to to cause him harm.
The trial continues.