THREE people have been handed life sentences following the death of a five year-old child in the Sarn area of Bridgend last summer.
Logan Mwangi’s body was found by police officers in the River Ogmore at around 6am on Saturday, July 31.
The discovery was made by police shortly after a 999 call was made by Logan’s mother, Angharad Williamson.
Following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Logan’s mum, Angharad Williamson, his step father John Cole and a 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were found guilty of murder and perverting the course of justice.
Mrs Justice Jefford, handed out life sentences to all defendants.
John Cole was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 29 years served before they can apply for parole.
Logan’s mum Angharad Williamson was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 28 years.
The 14-year-old defendant was sentenced to life detention with a minimum period of 14 years.
During a 10 week trial, the court heard how the defendants had colluded to cover-up Logan’s murder in the hours that followed his death.
The 999 call made by Logan’s mum was played at court – she initially claimed her son was missing from home.
Police bodycam footage was also played in which Logan’s mother pleaded with officers to help to find her son, having later alleged another female had taken him.
Logan’s body was located by police shortly after their attendance, laying in the River Ogmore, in close proximity to the family home.
Police officers soon became suspicious, and as the investigation progressed CCTV recovered from a nearby house captured John Cole and the youth defendant taking Logan’s body from the house in the early hours of the morning.
When questioned in a police interview, Logan’s mother Angharad claimed to have slept through the night, denying that was responsible for switching lights on and off and moving curtains inside the flat which was captured on CCTV.
A Home Office Post Mortem carried out on Logan found that he had suffered more than 56 injuries. A pathologist described some of them as so extreme, you would expect to find them as a result of a fall from great height or a high speed road traffic collision.
An application from the media has been submitted to the court to lift the reporting restrictions on the youth defendant.
A decision will be made by Mrs Justice Jefford later today.
