Father cut up six-year-old son's football shirts as punishment before partner killed the boy, court told
A "bullying" father accused of aiding and abetting his son's murder cut up his favourite football shirts in front of his face, a court has heard.
Thomas Hughes said Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, was "visibly upset" and agreed the act was "nasty and cruel".
His partner, Emma Tustin, 32, is accused of giving the boy an unsurvivable brain injury by fatally shaking and hitting him while they were staying at her home.
Hughes, 29, of Stroud Road, Solihull, denies aiding and abetting the murder. Tustin denies murder but has admitted one count of child cruelty.
Both are also said to have forced Arthur to eat salt-laced meals and isolated him for months in abuse that prosecutors compared to "torture".
Tustin previously claimed the boy's brain injury was self-inflicted - possibly by throwing himself down the staircase in her hall, where she said he was forced to spend "12 to 14 hours" a day, seven days a week.
The court previously heard the six-year-old looked "broken" just a few weeks after moving into Tustin's home in Cranmore Road, Solihull, during the first lockdown.
Hughes, appearing at Coventry Crown Court on Friday, described cutting up the football shirts after Tustin claimed the boy had ripped up two precious photos.
© PA Arthur was described as looking 'broken' just a few weeks after moving into Emma Tustin's house. Pic: West Midlands Police
He said he hadn't seen his son do that, but punished him anyway.
Mary Prior QC, Tustin's lawyer, asked if he had cut up the two Birmingham FC tops "in front of his face?"
"I would have done, yes," said Hughes.
"Do you agree that's nasty and cruel?" the lawyer asked. "Yes", he replied.
"He (Arthur) was visibly upset," said Hughes.
The jury was told Hughes also "ripped up Arthur's favourite blanket" and threw it in the bin, and previously heard he had also removed his son's favourite teddy bear on a separate occasion.
The boy also had no bed at the property and was made to sleep on the lounge floor and monitored by CCTV.
At the time, Arthur was also coming to terms with being told his natural mother had been jailed for killing her boyfriend.
Teachers described noticing a change in the normally happy boy in late 2019, around six months before his fatal collapse on 16 June 2020. Arthur died the next day.
Hughes was not present for the alleged fatal assault. As well as being accused of aiding the killing, he faces three child cruelty charges.
The trial continues.
Reference: Sky News:
- Nine things you must consider before adopting a child
- An Overview of Psoriasis in Children
- DIY Fertility Tests Are On The Rise, But How Reliable Are They?
- Dentist shares when children should stop using dummies - or risk bite issues
- Top 10 benefits of breastfeeding
- Reye's syndrome: The illness that affects children
- Diphtheria symptoms: Everything you need to know after case confirmed at UK school
- Children with 'prominent' forehead may in fact be suffering from a dangerous illness
- Study assesses links between early negative life events, orbitofrontal cortical thickness and depression in young adults
- Placenta tumour: My miracle baby gave me cancer
- 7 things to look out for when it comes to vaginal health, according to gynaecologists
- What is the vaginal microbiome?
- What every woman should know about hormones, the pill and cancer
- Doctors sound alarm over new infant fentanyl syndrome
- How to boost your child’s memory
- How to Teach Deaf Children to Read
- Speaking to babies in sing-song speech ‘helps them learn language’
- Enzyme therapy approved for rare genetic condition in babies
- Paris Hilton opens up about decision to have children via surrogate
- Urgent, gentle care: life on a neonatal unit
- Woman, 70, 'gives birth to twins after IVF treatment': Ugandan becomes the oldest person to give birth in Africa, hospital says
- Scarlet fever symptoms: What parents should look out for as UK cases surge by 70 per cent
- Vaccine to tackle bronchiolitis to be offered to children next year
- What is baby-led weaning?
- What are the symptoms of tonsillitis and how is it treated?
- Home
- Aches and Pains
- Children - Insomnia
- New Born Babies
- Babies From 2-12 months
- Spina Bifida
- Equipment Used
- Drug Abuse
- Other Ingredients
- Videos
- The Handicapped Child
- BALANITIS - Aromachildhood
- Worms
- Contact Us
- Corona virus and pregnancy
- Essential Oils for General Purposes
- Hydrolats, Essential Oil Waters, and infused Oils
- Ringworm
- The Methods - Aromatherapy - Children- 3
- The Methods - Aromatherapy - Children-2
- Basic Care Kit - Children - Essential Oils
- Web Links
- Acne
- Adolescent Acne
- Arthritis (juvenile Rheumatoid)
- The A - Z of Conditions
- Herbal Healing Infused Oils
- Things To Make For Your First Aid Cabinet
- The Cave Man Eating Plan
- The Basic Care Kit For Children
- Verrucas and Warts
- Caring Touch Massage
- The Methods - Aromatherapy - Children
- The Methods - Aromatherapy - Children - 4
- Athlete's Foot - 2
We have 39 guests and no members online