Social services face questions over tragic five-year-old Logan Mwangi's murder

22 April 2022, 00:01 | Updated: 22 April 2022, 00:06

A social services investigation has been launched as five-year-old Logan Mwangi's mother was convicted of his murder.

An inquiry into whether the child could have been saved will also consider whether improvements are needed to safeguarding practices throughout Wales to ensure other youngsters are protected.

Logan was killed in July last year, a month after social workers in Bridgend took him and a younger sibling off the child protection register.

That meant they were thought to no longer be at risk of serious harm.

But Logan would instead go on to suffer "catastrophic" internal injuries consistent with a "brutal and sustained assault" that was compared to a car crash.

Read more: Mother howls as she is found guilty with stepfather and teen of murder of Logan Mwangi, 5

His body was found by police in the River Ogmore, having suffered 56 external injuries.

His mother, Angharad Williamson, 31, was convicted of his murder at Cardiff Crown Court along with Logan's stepfather John Cole, 40, and a 14-year-old boy.

Williamson could be heard screaming "no, no, no" from the dock as the jury found her guilty of murdering her son.

Logan Mwangi: Boy’s father and police make statements after three are convicted of murder

Mrs Justice Jefford told her: "Out of respect for your son, and out of respect for (the youth defendant) could you be quiet while verdicts are returned."

During the trial, jurors heard from the social workers from Bridgend County Council who worked on the family's case.

Debbie Williams, a social worker, spent 20 minutes speaking with the three defendants outside their home the day before Logan's body was found.

Almost a year prior, a safeguarding referral was made after Williamson went to hospital with Logan, claiming he had fallen down the stairs.

Melanie Smith, a health visitor who then worked with the family, said: "There were concerns because of the delay [in taking Logan to the hospital] and the fact Angharad had tried to put the shoulder back in herself."

Months later, authorities became aware the 14-year-old had confessed to pushing Logan down the stairs.

Logan and his younger sibling were put on the child protection register in March 2021 over concerns with Cole but taken off in June that year.

Gaynor Rush, who left her role weeks before the child was murdered, said the family flat in Lower Llansantffraid appeared clean and the children were well-presented during unscheduled visits, while Williamson appeared to "adore" Logan.

But she said Ms Williams had refused to share information or work closely with her.

Weeks before he died, Logan suffered a broken collarbone but he never got medical treatment while prosecutors claimed the three defendants had engaged in an "elaborate" cover-up.

They are due to be sentenced at a later date.

A Child Practice Review including local councils, police, the probation service and the NHS, will now be held.

"Following the learning event, the independent reviewers of the case will collate and analyse all the information gathered to complete a report, highlighting the learning from the case, any areas of good practice and recommendations to improve future safeguarding practice," the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board said.

"It is vitally important that the review is undertaken thoroughly. This can typically take approximately six months to complete.

"The Safeguarding Board will of course do everything it can to complete the review at the earliest opportunity, but we anticipate that the earliest this will be possible will be in the autumn of 2022."

Tracey Holdsworth, assistant director of NSPCC Cymru, said "no stone must be left unturned" in understanding whether more could have been done to protect Logan.