He found what he said could be “systemic” issues with child protection, including a failure by health professionals to report injuries Logan Mwangi suffered months before his death. The toddler was fatally attacked at his home in Llansantffraid, Sarn, Bridgend, South Wales, before his body was dumped in the nearby River Ogmore last July. His mother Angharad Williamson, 31, stepfather John Cole, 40, and stepbrother Craig Mulligan, 14, were all convicted of murder and jailed for life after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court earlier this year. In the trial, the child, also known as Logan Williamson, had 56 external injuries when his body was discovered. Weeks before he died, he suffered a broken collarbone but was not taken for treatment. The Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board report, published today, also highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic has limited family contact with agencies and affected the ability to provide “best child protection procedures”. “As a result of this extensive review of children’s practice, key learning was identified,” the report said. “The review panel believes these issues may be systemic rather than isolated cases of individual error or malpractice.” Image: John Cole, Angharad Williamson and (below) Craig Mulligan In August 2020, Williamson took Logan to his local accident and emergency unit with a hand injury, bruising to his right cheek and a broken upper arm – and concerns were raised about the delay. However, social services and police “agreed that the threshold for carrying out child protection inquiries had not been met at that stage, on the basis that there was limited medical information”, the report said. Cole had previous convictions including assault on a child, possession of an offensive weapon, theft and drug possession and had served time in prison for burglary. Police checked them out and it was “agreed at that time that he was not the right person to be solely looking after” Logan or Mulligan. Officers attended the hospital as well as the family’s home, where they were told Logan’s injuries were the result of falling down the stairs. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:22 The killer mum’s fake 999 call A further health assessment by a pediatrician found “extensive bruises and injuries” on Logan, with 31 images taken of them. Records document that he had a blue mark above his genitals, two bruises on his ankle, two bruises on his forehead, bruises on top of both ears, bruises behind one ear, bruises on both cheeks, bruises with carpet on his chin, bruises on his left arm and bruises around his broken shoulder. The report said there was “no evidence that information about these injuries was shared with bodies outside the health board”. Williamson claimed Logan — referred to as “Kid T” in the report — was hitting his head, pinching himself and said the mark on his ears was from wearing a COVID mask. No explanation was given for the mark above his genitals. “Several of the injuries, even in isolation, should have prompted a referral,” the report said. “If the injuries were considered by health professionals to be non-accidental, clear assessments should have been made of the number of injuries and location on the body, the parental supervision provided to Child T and whether support from wider agencies was required. “This again should have prompted a child protection referral.” The report also described how Cole was allegedly a former member of the National Front and would subject Logan – whose father is of British and Kenyan descent – to racial slurs. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:03 Logan Mwangi’s father after the murder verdict The report made 10 local recommendations and five national recommendations, including urging Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board to commission an independent review of the practice and management of identifying and investigating non-accidental injuries to children. At a national level, it suggested the Welsh Government consider an annual campaign to raise public awareness of how to report safeguarding concerns. Paul Mee, chairman of Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board, apologized for the failings, saying “services could and should have acted differently”. “For these failures, we take full responsibility and apologise,” he said, pledging to “fully implement the recommendations made in this review and in doing so improve our safeguarding practice to prevent this from happening again”. Lessons must be learned from the review, the Welsh Government’s deputy social services minister said, as she also apologized for the tragedy. Julie Morgan said: “I want to reiterate how sorry I am for Logan’s father and reiterate my commitment to improving services to ensure vulnerable children are protected.”
