Mum of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes pays emotional tribute to her son from prison
The mum of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has paid tribute to her son from her prison cell.
Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow said details of her six-year-old boy's abuse and death were "harrowing and incomparable".
Arthur, who his mum says loved dressing up as superheroes, reading and playing football, suffered a fatal head injury and later died in hospital following abuse from his dad and his ex-girlfriend, Emma Tustin.
Arthur's dad, Thomas Hughes, 29, was convicted of manslaughter and also of child cruelty.
In an emotional tribute, Labinjo-Halcrow, who was jailed for 11 years earlier this year after fatally stabbing partner Gary Cunningham at her Harborne flat in February 2019, remembered her little boy.
"He wasn't just my only child - he was my best friend"
Labinjo-Halcrow's mother and Arthur's grandmother, Madeleine Halcrow, read out her daughter's tribute after footage was today released by West Midlands Police.
It read: "Arthur was the light of my life. He wasn't just my only child - he was my best friend.
"Never did I imagine he would be taken from this world so early in his life. If Arthur could ask for one last thing, it would be that he was remembered for his superpower.
"That will always be what I remember and Arthur's superpower was his smile."
"Talking about Arthur's loves would not be complete without mentioning superheroes, Marvel or DC.
"Arthur loved them all, from Batman to Black Panther, Aqua Man to the Flash. He had every costume and action figure and would spend hours dressing up and pretending he had all of their superpowers."
Labinjo-Halcrow said that following the verdicts in the trial of Hughes and Tustin, she wanted to take the opportunity to focus on the life Arthur lived and to "celebrate the beautiful little boy I knew and loved deeply".
"The details of Arthur's case are harrowing and incomparable - but I want people to know who Arthur was. From his huge smile and his personality to his gentle caring nature. All mothers are biased and believe their children are the best and I'm no different."
She said her child filled her life wit joy from the moment he was born and he was "always smiling and had the most inquisitive little mind".
She went on to remember her son: "Arthur loved his food. He was 10lbs 6.5oz when he was born and his love of milk soon turned to his love of food. He would try anything and, like all children, he always wanted what I was having.
"I remember when he started school. Every day on the way home he would tell me what he'd had to eat at lunchtime and then he'd ask me what we were going to have for dinner!"
She also said Arthur adored football, that he was a keen supporter of Birmingham City FC and loved wearing their kit.
She added that he loved being outdoors playing football and by the time he was four he could name most of the England team.
The mother finished her tribute by saying: "I could talk for hours about what Arthur loved and who Arthur was, but everyone who knew and loved him has their own story."