Mother's 'chilling' 999 call after Logan Mwangi was dumped in river was 'all an act', court hears

A 999 call made by Logan Mwangi’s mother Angharad Williamson on the morning the five-year-old’s body was dumped in a river has been described as “chilling”.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC said Williamson’s plea for police to find Logan was “all an act”, and part of an elaborate cover-up concocted by Williamson, her partner John Cole and a 14-year-old youth.

The victim’s mother Angharad Williamson, 30, her partner John Cole, 40, and a 14-year-old boy - who cannot be named because of his age - are on trial accused of murder.

All three are further accused of perverting the course of justice, including moving Logan’s body to an area of the river near Pandy Park, removing his clothing, washing bloodstained bed linen, and making a false missing person report to police.

Williamson and the youth deny murder and perverting the course of justice. Cole denies murder but admits perverting the course of justice.

On the second day of the trial (Tuesday February 22), jurors continue to hear the prosecution's case.

Ms Rees said: “It might sound like a heartfelt call of distress from a mother reporting her child missing.

"But with knowledge of the CCTV and the proof that Angharad Williamson knew exactly what was going on that night, the prosecution say that the 999 call is in fact chilling in that it demonstrates the extent to which Williamson was prepared to lie and her ability to put on a performance to save her own skin, even when dealing with the death of her own five-year-old child.”

Police body-worn camera footage that shows officers first visiting the flat in Sarn, Bridgend, where Logan is believed to have been killed is to be shown in court, the jury was told.

Logan’s mother can be seen “wailing and shouting” while Cole is “playing the part of the concerned stepdad”, prosecutor Caroline Rees said.

She added that the sound of a tumble dryer and washing machine can be heard, and asked: “Why on earth would the family be doing the laundry as a matter of such urgency in the circumstances?

“The prosecution suggest that this was to dispose of incriminating evidence and that one of the items laundered was part of Logan’s bed linen.”

The jurors in the trial over the death of Logan Mwangi in Sarn, Bridgend, have been told they will be shown footage of the moment police discovered the five-year-old’s body in the River Ogmore.

The video taken from the body-worn camera of a South Wales Police officer shows her running down a muddy path until she reaches the boulders at the bank of the river.

'Her priority was hiding her true involvement'

When Logan Mwangi’s mother Angharad Williamson was taken in to see his body she made comments to a nurse about wishing she had taught him to swim.

Caroline Rees said: “The prosecution say that this must have been with the intention of causing others to believe he had met his death by drowning, even though Angharad Williamson must have known this was untrue because she was up and about when his dead body was removed from the home.

“The prosecution say that this comment makes it clear that Williamson’s priority was hiding her true involvement in Logan’s death rather than telling anyone the truth about what happened.”

The nurse, who will give evidence later in the trial, said she was troubled by Williamson’s demeanour, believing she was “performing”.

'There was an opportunity to save him'

A juror in a trial of three people over the death of Logan Mwangi became upset as a summary of the medical evidence was read to the court.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC told the hearing that medical experts had found Logan suffered catastrophic injuries to his abdomen, including lacerations to his liver and a tear to his bowel, as well as traumatic brain injuries.

Paediatrician Dr Deborah Stalker concluded the injuries were the result of purposeful blunt force trauma and a “forceful assault”.

Logan is believed to have survived for several hours after the assault, meaning there was an opportunity to save him.

Ms Rees said the evidence was “capable of proving that Logan was subjected to a serious and sustained assault within the home over a period of time and possibly on more than one occasion”.

“The prosecution say that it is incredible to consider that any person within that house – so that would include all of the defendants in this case – could have been unaware that the assault was going on or that Logan had been seriously injured and was at high risk of death.”

'Callous and cold-hearted behaviour of each defendant'

The court heard the three defendants allegedly made comments about the case after their arrests on August 1.

Cole is said to have told a prison guard that he had a “moral dilemma”, while Williamson wrote a letter claiming that Cole had killed Logan, it was alleged.

The youth is alleged to have been observed singing, “I love kids, I f***ing love kids, I love to punch kids in the head, it’s orgasmic”.

He is later claimed to have said: “I might plead guilty next week”, as well as “I did some bad stuff but I’m not allowed to talk about it”.

Ms Rees concluded her opening remarks by alleging that each of the three defendants was guilty of the charges against them.

“We say that each defendant played their part in the death of a little five-year-old, Logan, and it is clear from the terrible injuries that he sustained that that must have been with the intention to kill or at the very least cause really serious injury,” she said.

“While the prosecution cannot say exactly what happened behind closed doors, the callous and cold-hearted behaviour of each defendant at the time after Logan’s death is consistent with them trying to desperately cover up their involvement in his death.”

The trial continues.