A BOY allegedly tortured to death by his dad and his girlfriend “knew he was going to die” but "no-one listened", a court was told.
Six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes subjected to "incomprehensible" suffering in the days and weeks running up to his death, jurors heard.
Arthur's dad, Thomas Hughes, 29, and 32-year-old Emma Tustin, his partner, are on trial jointly accused of murder, after the boy suffered an "unsurvivable brain injury" in June, 2020.
In closing speeches at Coventry Crown Court, her barrister Mary Prior said Arthur repeatedly expressed fears for his safety soon after he turned five, Birmingham Live Reports.
“When Arthur was six years, four months old he still knew he was going to die, he was saying 'dad is going to kill me', saying 'dad is going to throw me out the window',” she said.
“He was describing his fears. He was describing them for well over a year and nobody, nobody listened to Arthur.
"Not the school, not the GP, not the officers, not his family. No-one listened.
"He was going to die and he was going to die because Thomas Hughes was in charge of Arthur's life and Arthur's life consisted of nothing other than misery."
Prior told the court Tustin “let that little boy suffer and she accepts that, and she will pay a heavy price for that".
But Hughes’ defence barrister Bernard Richmond told jurors Tustin was "a predator" and Arthur her prey, "because he had something she wanted – Thomas Hughes".
Mr Richmond said Hughes was "stupid" but not a murderer and there "nothing to suggest" he had given Ms Tustin permission to harm his son.
The court previously heard Hughes made a number of threats towards his son, including to "put him six feet under", and had also sent Tustin messages such as "just end him".
It is alleged that Tustin carried out the fatal assault while having sole care of Arthur.
She then fetched her mobile phone immediately afterwards to take a photograph of the youngster as he lay dying in the hallway of her home in Cranmore Road, Solihull, West Midlands.
Tustin is accused of "dressing the scene" to make it appear as if Arthur had inflicted his own injuries.
Jurors were told that the 130 areas of bruising found on Arthur's body at post-mortem equated to "nearly a bruise for every day of lockdown".
Tustin denies a third count alleging she poisoned Arthur with salt-laced drinks and meals. Both defendants deny murder.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun news desk?
Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4104. You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. We pay for videos too.
Click here to upload yours.
Click here to get The Sun newspaper delivered for FREE for the next six weeks.
Source: Read Full Article
