now on bbc news... the big cases: logan mwangi: a boy betrayed. logan mwangi was five years old when he was murdered by the people he trusted. logan was a little boy who was seriously let down by those adults he was living with, and who had his childhood completely cut short in the cruellest and most savage possible way. please, please, help me, please! where are you ? my son! i woke up, he's not here!

0k, take a breath. take a breath. what's his name? is his name logan? logan. he's five. is he five, did you say? he's five. logan! like everybody else, i remember waking up that morning and seeing the news. news report: police are investigating after the body of a five—year—old boy was found in a bridgend river. you're arrested on suspicion of murder. news report: the mother of five—year—old logan mwangi, whose body was found in a river in south wales injuly, has been charged with his murder. logan's stepfather, 39—year—old john cole and a 14—year—old boy are also charged with his murder. i'm arresting you on suspicion of the murder of logan. what? there are still moments where my head will go back to times in the courtroom, things i've heard, things we saw. the world is a colder and darker place without his smile and happy energy with which he lived his life.

july 2021. like many communities, people in sarn in bridgend, south wales, are trying to get back to normal as the pandemic eases. but five—year—old logan mwangi has been indoors for ten days with covid. after his final evening in isolation, logan's mother, angharad williamson, calls the police. but this 999 call isn't what it seems.

this is very dramatic, i mean, and i can understand that the person who's receiving the call, kind of, just totally takes it at face value, because the way that the mother is actually behaving is incredibly distraught. she's pretending to be incredibly ignorant of her son's whereabouts and what happened. so it's understandable that people took her at face value to start with. parents have been shown to be, especially parents who have been criminals, have been shown to be incredibly manipulative. and she was explaining that her partner, john cole, was out apparently looking for logan at the time.

logan! walking on the path along the river opposite their house, angharad's partner, john cole, and craig mulligan, who was 13 at the time, shout out logan's name. logan! i mean, a child missing is awful, it really is. and all sorts of things go through your head, whether or not the child has been abducted or whether they've just wandered away because, you know, children will go for a walk. but when things started to come out and it was so much worse than, ithink... ..anybody expected. and suddenly there was this, just sense of... ..real disbelief and, yeah, shock.

well, this is the body cam from the police as they were searching the area. and i do believe it's in the moments before they actually... ..found the body and show where it was. police radio chatter within an hour of that 999 call, the police discover logan's lifeless body in the river, just a short distance from his front door. it actually makes you feel physically sick when you... ..you know that something like that has happened, or something unexplained, but is not looking good, as happened. there is a physical reaction. i would say, and i certainly felt it.

and judging by the way that people i spoke to, or rather spoke to me, i would say that they also had a physical reaction. a report of a missing boy has now turned into an investigation into a child's death. the police begin to notice unusual details. the tumble dryer is in the middle of a cycle and there's no sheet on logan's bed. why am i not allowed to see my own biological son? he is unconscious. why is he unconscious? i don't know. right now, the best.... all i'm getting is answers like this. why is no—one telling me what's going on? i don't know. sweetheart, look... he's my baby. what's going on?

shouting, arguing, appearing to be incredibly distraught, distressed. stepfather trying to apparently reassure the mother. this is just all incredible. and itjust shows the manipulative quality of some people, especially some criminal people, who have actually now committed one of the most heinous crimes that you can imagine, and actually trying to show that, in fact, they were just victims themselves. police officer: i'm not saying it's not reasonable. _ if he's unconscious, he needs me. he needs warm clothes. he needs mum. he needs his... i feel so useless standing here. i know. this is all my fault. putting on a display of concern, all building up a picture, as they thought, of obfuscation and trying to actually detract people from what effectively turned out to be the truth, which was they were the criminals.

police were knocking doors. divers and forensic officers were looking for clues. it began to become clear that the evidence pointed towards those who should have been caring for logan. this next video is actually, i find this quite interesting. this shows the arrest ofjohn cole by police officers. you know, he's trying to appear surprised. he's trying to appear like amazed that they're even thinking that he had done anything wrong. as we know now, he's been convicted of murder and we know he's done wrong and this was all an act. and, again, he's giving a perfect example of somebody pretending to be distraught. this is john, ok?

all right, john. right, we've obviously got to speak to you. what i need to tell you now, ok... 18:22, i'm arresting you on suspicion of the murder of logan. what? you do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. anything you do say may be given evidence. 0k? the necessity of my arrest of you today, is for a proper, effective investigation, protect a vulnerable person and to prevent the loss or secure any initial evidence we need. 0k? right. what? john, hang on a sec, what i'm going to do now, ok... what? i've just found out my son is dead the second video too _ is a mirror of this in some respects that when the mother of logan, angharad, is being arrested, and she's apparently incredulous that they'd even think of that,

she's putting on a particularly distraught performance... ..hyperventilating, crying, etc. and the police are again being very respectful, very gentle, but firm. this is not very long after the whole matter had come to their attention. why am i being arrested? | right, do you want to have a sit| down by there a minute, lovely? have a sit down by here a minute, angharad. i angharad, sit by here now, sit down. i haven't done anything wrong! hush. sh, a second. do you want a sit down i by there a minute, right? don't want you falling down, right. have a sit down by there, ok. 0k? right, you're under arrest. for suspicion of murder, ok. you do not... you do not have to say anything | but it may harm your defence ifj you do not mention when questioned something which you may later - rely on in court. anything you do say may be given in evidence. - 0k? i haven't done anything wrong!

0k. where is logan? he's still with us in the... he's still in the hospital with the doctors. - what happened to him? can't explain anything i further at the moment. why is nobody talking to me? you're supposed to be helping find out what happened not arresting me when i'm telling you my son's... what is wrong with you guys? you're supposed to be helping me. angharad, i understand you're upset, i understand. - is your son dead? has your son been found dead in a rover? angharad. ok, angharad, we understand you're very upset. _ we want to investigate... i'm terribly upset. i've just lost my son. mm. it's so easy in retrospect to sort of look at this and think, you know, this is an act, this is manipulation, this is people pretending. they know they've done wrong.

but at the time, most people probably would still have elements of doubt. this cctv footage showsjohn cole carrying something out of the house in the early hours with the teenager close behind. cole later admitted to the police he was holding logan's body. not long after the pair returned to pick up the pyjama top the five—year—old had been wearing and placed it in a different part of the river. news report: struggling to comprehend how a young life could end here, the friends and neighbours of logan mwangi brought teddies and tributes. the five—year—old was a happy, friendly little boy. neighbours say he was always smiling. he used to visit ian and jasmine�*s garden. they remember him being full of laughter. always a smile on his face, laughing, giggling, every time we walked past. just can't believe it. not a bad bone in his body. just shocked, everyone - in the community's shocked. everybody's shocked by the sadness of, the loss of logan. _ it just makes you want to hold your children so tight

and not let them, not let them go. it does draw in the whole community and people who didn't know him - are affected because it's on the doorstep, j because this has happened in a place where we live. . and so it does touch - everybody's life in that sense, that this dreadful. thing has happened. the memorial service was held . because there was this sense of, we need to do something. there's that sense of. marking logan's life... ..and acknowledging each other's grief and... - ..and shock. and just being able - to do something to say, you know, this matters. i think like many of these other high profile situations where you have either, you know,

a death in school, a school shooting or a tragedy of children dying, or other cases like logan's, who've got a community at school that they were part of and now have to sort of try and live with that situation, a lot of counselling has had to go in to these places. two, one! the events of that weekend were shocking, but the grim reality of what happened to logan was about to become clear. banging and shouting. the case came to trial at cardiff crown court in february 2022. experts described 56 external injuries on logan's body

and internal injuries more likely to be seen in a high speed car crash. the impact of the case has gone much further than just logan's family and the community of sam. for two months, joselyn sellan's life came to a standstill. along with 11 others, she had to listen to weeks of evidence as a member of the jury in the case. though it's rare in the uk forjurors to speak to the media i sat in my car thinking, i don't want to go in. with every fibre of my being, i don't want to go in. but i knew i had to and i had a duty to do that. the day of the medical evidence was very, very difficult. in many respects, because it was so medically detailed at times, you could disassociate that this was a child that they were talking about.

actually, the hardest day was the following day, the clinical evidence from the paediatrician when she was describing how logan would have been in life and how his final hours would have been. and that was incredibly difficult... ..because your imagination will take you to very dark places when you're hearing that kind of evidence. it's very, very distressing. and you can't help thinking, well, as i'm sure people would do reading the papers, that you just keep going to what was happening for that child and how he must have been suffering, and that any appropriate caregiver would have been absolutely clear that he was in acute pain. and that was hard to just listen to that, to see the defendants... you know, there was only three people in that house

who know what happened. older injuries, such as a broken collarbone, suggested there had been sustained abuse. there were concerns about his safety, and he had a rather dysfunctional family background. and it's said that he was... ..considered to be at risk because he was subject to a child protection plan. but then it seems that they considered, about a month before he died, that he needn't be at that level of risk any more and so he was, effectively it was sort of downgraded to what was called a child in need. and every child in need still, as the name suggests, needs extra resources, support, help. the issue here, of course, is, as we all know, during the pandemic, especially, there has been an incredible degree of difficulty from all the front line agencies,

so whether it's health, police, social services, in actually addressing all the work that they have to do, apart from the fact that there are lots of vacancies to be dealt with as well and caseloads are very high. this is the room where logan was shut away. a stair gate across the door stopped him from getting out when he had covid. he was made to face the wall whenever anyone came in. the jury heard how logan was punished. the family would eat takeaways in front of him as he ate cereal. john cole forced him to do press ups when he misbehaved. his stammer got progressively worse. it was a fully immersive experience in every sense of the word. so nightmares, intrusive thoughts. there are still moments where my head will go back to times in the courtroom, things i've heard, things we saw.

we've seen body cam footage, that hasn't been released to the public, that will stay with me forever. there's no question he was in danger. that he had a terrible death. but listening to other people, the community, they described logan as a bright and energetic boy. his neighbours were saying that, so these would have been the sources that people considering risk would have tapped into to try and see whether there was any degree of continuing risk or whatever. and i rather suspect, we'll have to wait for the serious case review that's now been commissioned, but we'll have to wait and see exactly what was taken into account to firstly take his name away for being considered to be at risk, of which, i think, at any one point in the uk,

there are 51,000 children every day who are considered to be at risk from the people looking after them, and then becoming a child in need. but there are 350,000 plus children who are considered to be children in need in the uk and who have been allocated professionals to take care of them and to try and improve the quality of their lives. so the volume of children in need, apart from the volume of children considered to be at risk, is huge. and when you then superimpose on top of that lack of staff, lack of resources, covid... .it may well be understandable where things might have been missed, if they were missed. but like i said, there were lots of people actually saying he was a bright, happy child. so it's a difficult one. angharad angha rad williamson told angharad williamson told the jury she was asleep on the night of the

murder, but their cctv footage proved otherwise. the lights go on and off shortly afterjohn: the teenager left the house. records also show she was looking up videos on youtube. john cole and angharad williamson blamed each other throughout the trial. she would often shout, tell the truth, but never gave the jury or the family and expiration of how logan's sustained so many injuries. after eight weeks of evidence, the jury tookjust five eight weeks of evidence, the jury took just five hours eight weeks of evidence, the jury tookjust five hours to agree on verdicts, all three guilty of murder and perverting the course of justice. and perverting the course of “ustice. ., . . , and perverting the course of “ustice. ., ., ., , ., justice. logan was a beautiful, briuht justice. logan was a beautiful, bright and _ justice. logan was a beautiful, bright and innocent _ justice. logan was a beautiful, i bright and innocent five-year-old bright and innocent five—year—old little boy, who had his whole life ahead of him. it is difficult to imagine how logan must have suffered at the hands of those he trusted and inconceivable that those who should have loved and protected him betrayed him in the worst possible

way. attempts to cover up the crime in the hours following his death and the subsequent web of lies and deceit that were to follow are an indication of the callousness and lack of remorse shown by those convicted today. the impact of logan's tragic death on sony people cannot be measured. nothing can bring logan back. but i hope today are possibly at outcome will bring some comfort to those who loved him. logan was the most beautiful boy and his life _ logan was the most beautiful boy and his life was _ logan was the most beautiful boy and his life was tragically cut short. the world — his life was tragically cut short. the world is a colder and darker place _ the world is a colder and darker place without his smile and happy energy— place without his smile and happy energy with which he lived his life. the hail— energy with which he lived his life. the hall that has been left in the hearts— the hall that has been left in the hearts of— the hall that has been left in the hearts of all those who knew and loved _ hearts of all those who knew and loved him — hearts of all those who knew and loved him will never be filled. no amount_ loved him will never be filled. no amount of— loved him will never be filled. no amount of time can heal the wounds that have _ amount of time can heal the wounds that have been infected. the wonderful memories i have of my son will never_ wonderful memories i have of my son will never be — wonderful memories i have of my son will never be tarnished. they will forever— will never be tarnished. they will forever be — will never be tarnished. they will forever be in my heart and soul. i loved _ forever be in my heart and soul. i loved him — forever be in my heart and soul. i

loved him so _ forever be in my heart and soul. i loved him so much and somehow, i have _ loved him so much and somehow, i have to _ loved him so much and somehow, i have to live — loved him so much and somehow, i have to live my life knowing that i will never — have to live my life knowing that i will never get to see him grow up to the wonderful man i knew that he could _ the wonderful man i knew that he could he — the wonderful man i knew that he could he~ i— the wonderful man i knew that he could be. iwould the wonderful man i knew that he could be. i would like to thank south — could be. i would like to thank south wales police and the prosecution team for their tireless work— prosecution team for their tireless work to— prosecution team for their tireless work to bring those responsible for the murder— work to bring those responsible for the murder to court. work to bring those responsible for the murderto court. from work to bring those responsible for the murder to court. from all of vasco— the murder to court. from all of vasco thank— the murder to court. from all of vasco thank you for doing an amazing 'ob vasco thank you for doing an amazing job and _ vasco thank you for doing an amazing job and getting justice for my son. thank_ job and getting justice for my son. thank you — job and getting 'ustice for my son. thank ou. ~ ., job and getting 'ustice for my son. thank ou. a, ., , job and getting 'ustice for my son. thank you.— thank you. more details emerged about john cole's _ thank you. more details emerged about john cole's past, _ thank you. more details emerged about john cole's past, as - thank you. more details emerged about john cole's past, as well. thank you. more details emerged about john cole's past, as well asj thank you. more details emerged i about john cole's past, as well as a aboutjohn cole's past, as well as a number of previous convictions, in a dash in his 20s, he was associated with the national front. a year ayearon, a year on, tributes remained by the river where logan was found. the impact of his murder is very present. it impact of his murder is very resent. ., , impact of his murder is very present-— impact of his murder is very resent. , ., , ,, impact of his murder is very resent. , ~ present. it has been a shock. anger. a deep sense _ present. it has been a shock. anger. a deep sense of _ present. it has been a shock. anger. a deep sense of loss. _

present. it has been a shock. anger. a deep sense of loss. but _ present. it has been a shock. anger. a deep sense of loss. but i - present. it has been a shock. anger. a deep sense of loss. but i would i a deep sense of loss. but i would also say there is hope, a sense of... helping as much as the community did come together and did mark logan, and will continue to do that. because he was one of their own. and so, even though that grief will continue to spiral for a while, there is also hoped for the community because it is so tight—knit and because it has held each other in terms of the way it came together in the park and the memorial service and it will continue to do those things. because it cares. everybody cares about their next neighbour.— it cares. everybody cares about their next neighbour. nobody would think that this _ their next neighbour. nobody would think that this is _ their next neighbour. nobody would think that this is not _ their next neighbour. nobody would think that this is not a _ their next neighbour. nobody would think that this is not a tragedy - think that this is not a tragedy they— think that this is not a tragedy they would want to see again for

topical— they would want to see again for topical hit— they would want to see again for topical bit like saying to the police, _ topical bit like saying to the police, can you guarantee that is going _ police, can you guarantee that is going to — police, can you guarantee that is going to be no crime question of course _ going to be no crime question of course they cannot. automatics, can you guarantee no one is going to be dving _ you guarantee no one is going to be dying on— you guarantee no one is going to be dying on the operating theatre? no, they can't— dying on the operating theatre? no, they can't do that. or they can say is we _ they can't do that. or they can say is we will— they can't do that. or they can say is we will try— they can't do that. or they can say is we will try our very best and that— is we will try our very best and that is— is we will try our very best and that is what social workers do. of course, _ that is what social workers do. of course, the — that is what social workers do. of course, the goal is never to have another— course, the goal is never to have another logan, but i think sadly that is— another logan, but i think sadly that is not— another logan, but i think sadly that is not going to be the case. people — that is not going to be the case. people will say and people have said why does god allow these things to happen? and it is not a question i can answer. i cannot answer it. but i understand their grief. and i understand confusion. and all i can offer is that actually god understands that too.

let's ta ke let's take a look at the latest weather forecast. let's take a look at the latest weatherforecast. mixed prospects out there for us for the rest of this afternoon. some sunny spells in the forecast but also some pretty hefty showers. this is the satellite and radar pictures so far today. it shows what has been going on. this band of rain and cloud syncing across england and wales. plenty of showers and more generally cloudy across the northern half of scotland. this band of rain towards the south—east making quite slow progress. parts of essex and kent are likely to stay dry this afternoon. northern ireland and

northern england, the southwest, sunshine but with a scattering of every and thundery showers. the northern half of scotland, extensive cloud and outbreaks of showery rain. temperatures north to south, 16 to 22. not impressive for this point in earlyjuly. this evening and tonight, some of that rain will reach the south—east corner. we will see cloud filtering into northern ireland and western scotland with showers. that is being blown in on an increasingly brisk breeze. temperatures overnight typically between nine and 12 degrees. tomorrow is set to be another sunshine and showers day but there should not be quite as many showers as we have seen today. some could be quite heavy. especially across parts of scotland. possibly thundery for some central and eastern parts of england. but for the south—west avenue, northwest england, wales, parts of northern ireland, by the afternoon, not too many showers. temperatures about where they are, 16 to 22 degrees. the british grand

prix tomorrow, of course. i am not completely ruling out a shower but it should be pretty much dry with spells of sunshine and top temperature 19 degrees. further head into monday, some showers around and longer spells of rain across northern scotland. quite windy in scotland. blustery for northern ireland. england and wales cricket board drive. temperatures again in that range. 15 to 23 degrees in the south—east. it is going to build its way in from the south—west. some uncertainty about how much progress it'll make northwards. some frontal systems continuing to work at times across the northern half of the uk. a fair amount across the northern half of the uk. afairamount of across the northern half of the uk. a fair amount of cloud and some rain at times. further south, a fair amount of cloud and some rain at times. furthersouth, drierand quite bright and turning warmer in parts of the south. temperatures could reach the high 20s celsius.

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