Stepfather who dumped child’s body in river denies controlling behaviour

John Cole admits disposing of five-year-old Logan Mwangi’s body, but denies killing him, or behaving a controlling manor towards the boy’s mother.

John Cole giving evidence at Cardiff Crown Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (PA Wire)

A stepfather accused of murdering a five-year-old denies being controlling and abusive towards the child’s mother, a court has heard.

Logan Mwangi was discovered in the River Ogmore in Pandy Park, Bridgend, on the morning of July 31 2021, close to the flat he shared with his family.

The child, also known as Logan Williamson, had suffered catastrophic injuries similar to those found in victims of high-speed crashes or a fall from a height.

His stepfather John Cole, 40, has admitting perverting the course of justice for dumping the boy’s body, but denies murder.

Cole is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court alongside Logan’s mother Angharad Williamson, 30, and a 14-year-old boy who cannot be named because of his age.

Williamson’s version of events is that she awoke at 5am on July 31 to find Logan was missing, and had no idea he was dead until his body was found by police.

Giving evidence, Cole claimed he and Williamson had hatched out a plan to dispose of Logan together, and that Williamson had told him her son had died in a “freak accident”.

He said he had never asked for any further details, adding: “It was just all overwhelming, I just didn’t know what was going through my mind.”

The defendant said they had both agreed to wait a few hours before calling the police to report him missing, but denied causing any of the child’s many serious injuries.

He said that during the search for Logan he had tried to lead police towards the spot he had left him, saying: “I felt guilty about how I had just left him by the river, I knew it was wrong.”

Peter Rouch QC, for Williamson, asked Cole if he would have treated the dead body of a child he considered his own the way he treated Logan’s.

Cole replied: “I didn’t act alone, Angharad was involved as well.”

When the question was put again, Cole said he would “rather not” think about it, before adding “I’m not answering that question”.

Cole repeated his evidence he had never asked Williamson for details on the freak accident that allegedly killed Logan.

“You have a dead five-year-old child, surely anyone would ask questions?” Mr Rouch said.

Cole further denied pressuring Williamson into cutting off contact with her mother Clare Williamson, Logan’s father Ben Mwangi, and her two best friends.

“That was Angharad’s choice,” he said.

The jury has heard evidence from Cole that Logan would repeatedly claim he had seen “mummy kissing daddy”, Mr Mwangi, when she last took him to visit him in London in 2019.

Cole said in the witness box that he did not believe it, but Logan would repeat it “because he knew it wound Angharad up”, and that the last time he had said it was the day before he was found dead.

Mr Rouch accused Cole of making the little boy say it in order to start a fight.

“You would say ‘You saw mummy and daddy kissing’ and Logan would agree with you – is that what used to go on?,” Mr Rouch said.

Cole denied the claim, and further denied preventing Logan hugging or cuddling his mother, or ever physically assaulting Williamson.

In a police interview, Williamson said she was scared of Cole because he had told her he was in the SAS.

“What would be the point? To try and be someone you don’t mess around with?” Mr Rouch asked.

Cole again denied making such a claim to either Williamson or other witnesses, and also denied taking control of Williamson’s bank account.

Williamson and the youth deny murder and perverting the course of justice, while Cole denies murder but admits perverting the course of justice.

Cole and Williamson are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child.

The cross-examination of Cole will continue on Thursday.