Recordings of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes are released as his father and stepmother deny his murder.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Audio recordings of a six-year-old boy crying “no-one loves me” and “no-one’s gonna feed me” before his death have been released by police.
The recordings have been played at the trial of his father Thomas Hughes and partner Emma Tustin who both deny murdering him.
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes died of a brain injury on 17 June, 2020.
He collapsed while alone with Ms Tustin at her home in Solihull, West Midlands, the jury heard.
Prosecutors have told Coventry Crown Court that Arthur suffered a “campaign of cruelty”, amounting to “torture”.
Mr Hughes, 29, and Ms Tustin face multiple counts of child cruelty, after it was alleged the boy was force-fed salt-laced meals, kept isolated in the home, starved, dehydrated and routinely beaten.
Ms Tustin, 32, has said his head injury was self-inflicted, possibly by throwing himself down the staircase in her hallway where he had to spend “12 to 14 hours a day” as part of the couple’s behavioural regime.
Ms Tustin has accepted recording more than 200 audio files of Arthur while he was being punished, telling the court they were to show her partner how his son was behaving.
Two of the audio files have now been made public as the trial nears its end.
In one, Arthur can be heard crying “no-one loves me,” repeating the phrase four times in a 23-second recording.
In the other 44-second clip he cries “no-one’s gonna feed me” seven times.
Video of Arthur looking frail hours before his collapse, was also released by West Midlands Police. It was recorded on an internal CCTV camera at the property.
The footage, previously played in court, shows the six-year-old struggling to pick up and put away his pillow and blanket after waking at 8:36am.
Jurors have heard he had 130 injuries all over his body, both old and new.
Image source, Family handout
He did not have his own bed, and slept on the lounge floor without a mattress, they heard.
The prosecution allege Ms Tustin carried out the fatal assault, while Mr Hughes, of Stroud Road, Solihull, is accused of aiding the killing. He also faces three counts of child cruelty. He denies any wrongdoing.
Ms Tustin has admitted one count of child cruelty but denies two other similar charges and also denies murder.
The trial, since adjourned until later in the week, continues.
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