News

Report shows Logan Mganwi’s death an avoidable tragedy

Published

3 years ago

November 24, 2022

A SAFEGUARDING review has found cross-agency failings contributed to the death of five-year-old Logan Mwangi at the hands of his mother, her partner, and a teenager living with the family.
A boy described as “smiling, cheerful, bubbly” had his life cut short through the sustained, brutal cruelty of those he lived with.
Logan’s mother and stepfather used Covid regulations as a shield behind which they hid their abuse of him.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND UNSHARED INFORMATION

In gruelling detail, the report by Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board sets out a series of missed opportunities by healthcare staff, Bridgend social services, and South Wales Police to share information that might have protected Logan from the violence which led to his death on July 31, 2021.
Logan died after suffering blunt force abdominal injury, traumatic injuries to his brain and ischaemic brain damage (usually associated with attempted asphyxiation).
After carrying his corpse to the side of the River Ogmore, his killers dumped his body.

SUSTAINED RACIST ABUSE

His mother, Angharad Williamson, 31, stepfather John Cole, 40, and stepbrother Craig Mulligan, 14, were all convicted of murder and received life sentences following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court earlier this year.
Logan, who was of mixed race, suffered particular abuse from Cole, a former member of the National Front with a lengthy criminal record for violent offences, including assaulting a child.
The report notes that Cole and Mulligan “held and expressed racist and discriminatory views that one would expect to have made life very hard for Logan within the family”.

A RECORD OF INJURIES

The year before his death, Logan attended Accident and Emergency, battered, bruised, and with a fracture to his upper right arm.
Despite the family already being on social services’ radar, police and social services decided no basis existed for further intervention with the family – partly because hospital staff did not share the full extent of Logan’s injuries with them.
Logan was found to have sustained “wider bruising and injuries”, including an injury near his genitals, bruises to his ankle, bruises to his forehead, bruising to the top of both ears, bruising behind one ear, bruises to both cheeks and a carpet bruise to his chin. The area around his broken shoulder was also extensively bruised.
Doctors never shared the details of the further injuries, identified after a review by a paediatric specialist, with Police or Social Services.

THEY NEVER LISTENED TO LOGAN

Those injuries’ details paint a disturbing picture of sustained violence against a defenceless child who could not rely on his mother to protect him from abuse.
The report notes that the relevant agencies never spoke directly to Logan about his injuries.
The report concludes: “Several injuries, even in isolation, should have triggered a referral.
“If the injuries were considered by health professionals to be non-accidental, there should have been clear considerations to the number of injuries and site on the body, parental supervision being afforded to Logan and if wider agencies’ support was required.
“This again should have triggered a child protection referral.”
The authorities never contacted Logan’s birth father about any of their concerns following an unsupported claim of domestic abuse against him made by Williamson.
The report finds that regardless of the claim – which was not backed by any evidence or record of complaints – Logan’s father should have been part of the decision-making process regarding his son’s care. Logan’s father was never told that his son was on the Child Protection Register or that he’d been removed from it.
And it’s not as if social services were unaware of Cole’s appalling history of violence or oblivious to signs that something was amiss within the family unit.
Social services repeatedly engaged with the family for months before Logan’s murder. They noted Cole’s controlling behaviour, unwillingness to have anyone speak with them but himself, and an unexpected deterioration in Logan’s stammer.
The day before Logan’s death, a social worker visited the family’s home about concerns relating to another child living with Logan, Williamson, Cole, and Mulligan.
She neither saw nor spoke to Logan because she was told he had tested positive for Covid-19.
Within 24 hours of that visit, Logan was dead – beaten to death – and his body was left by the riverside.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF WALES’S CHILD SOCIAL SERVICES “MUST HAPPEN”

Plaid’s South Wales West regional MS, Sioned Williams, said: “The report outlines the extent to which multiple agencies worked with Logan and his family in the years before his death.
“Many local and national recommendations have been made. I have no doubt that the specific recommendations made to the Welsh Government will be discussed within the Senedd as a matter of urgency.
Sioned Williams added: “The Welsh Government must ensure vital services are properly resourced and commission an independent review of children’s social work across Wales, as called for previously by Professor Donald Forrester and the British Association of Social Workers Cymru.”
The Welsh Government has previously refused to consider such a review, a fact referred to by Welsh Conservative Shadow Social Services Minister Gareth Davies.
Mr Davies said: “Not only do we see a reluctance to escalate Logan’s situation in the face of obvious evidence and agencies working in silos, not sharing information, but understaffed departments that prove concerns about the high dependency of agency workers leading to cases like this are vindicated.
“It is clear that in addition to Bridgend Council implementing the report’s recommendations, we need a Wales-wide review of children’s services which, sadly, Mark Drakeford continues to block despite Wales being the only UK nation not undertaking one and having the UK’s highest rate of looked-after children.”

Community

Concern grows after child hospitalised following Tenby sea swim

Published

5 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PARENT SAYS BOY BECAME SERIOUSLY ILL AFTER SWIMMING DURING FAMILY VISIT

CONCERN is growing in Pembrokeshire after a parent claimed their child was admitted to hospital after swimming in the sea at Tenby.

The post, shared in a local Tenby Facebook group, said the family had visited the resort between Monday and Thursday, with the boy swimming in the sea on Tuesday (May 6).

His parent wrote: “My son swam in the sea on the 6th and the next morning came down with terrible sickness and diarrhoea — he’s been very unwell since and has tonight been admitted to hospital.”

They added: “It’s terrible we can’t swim in our seas and rivers safely anymore. Please be aware.”

The post prompted hundreds of reactions and dozens of comments, with many people expressing sympathy for the family and others raising wider concerns about sewage pollution and water quality around the Pembrokeshire coast.

One commenter said: “This is a national disgrace, please put in a written complaint to Dŵr Cymru and Natural Resources Wales.”

Another asked: “Why were there no signs put up on the beaches to warn people it was unsafe to swim in?”

Others claimed they or family members had suffered illness after swimming at locations including Tenby, Amroth, Newgale and Coppet Hall.

One person wrote: “I got sepsis from a cut in Newgale surfing. Took six weeks in hospital and seven months recovery and still not right to get over it.”

Another said: “Please check with your son’s doctors regarding E.coli and a condition called HUS, which can develop from E.coli. My daughter swam at Amroth in 2022 after a sewage incident in the area and became seriously ill.”

No medical evidence has been published linking the latest reported illness directly to seawater exposure, and there is currently no official confirmation that conditions at Tenby caused the child’s illness.

However, the post has reignited anger over sewage discharges, pollution alerts and the information available to visitors and local people before entering the water.

Lydstep warning

The concern follows a recent warning at Lydstep Haven after Natural Resources Wales informed Pembrokeshire County Council of an “abnormal situation” which could temporarily affect bathing water quality.

Pembrokeshire County Council said officers from its Pollution Control Team had placed warning notices at various locations around the beach, temporarily advising against bathing while the matter was investigated.

Some residents questioned whether warnings were clear enough, particularly during busy holiday periods.

One commenter wrote: “Why aren’t there any warnings to holiday makers and visitors to our local area? It’s not fair that they find out information after someone becomes ill.”

Another said: “There should be notices and announcements on the beaches if there is an outage.”

Others pointed out that Surfers Against Sewage’s water quality app was not showing an active alert for Tenby itself, and suggested some online comments may have confused the current Lydstep warning with previous pollution notices affecting beaches in the Tenby area.

Protest at Broad Haven

The issue comes less than a week before campaigners stage a Surfers Against Sewage paddle-out protest at Broad Haven.

The protest is due to take place on Saturday, May 16, at 1:30pm, as part of a UK-wide day of action calling for an end to sewage pollution in rivers and seas.

Surfers Against Sewage says communities across the UK will gather on beaches, riverbanks and in the water to demand stronger action on sewage pollution.

The campaign group said: “We are sick of it. Sick of the lies, sick of the greed and sick of a system that’s rigged against us.”

A large banner has already been placed on Broad Haven seafront encouraging people to attend the protest.

Tourism concerns

The row has also raised concerns about the potential impact on Pembrokeshire’s tourism industry, with Tenby, Broad Haven, Newgale and other seaside communities heavily dependent on visitors during the spring and summer months.

One commenter wrote: “Not very good for a holiday destination is it.”

Another said: “Tourism will be massively affected by incidents like this, and people’s health and lives are being put at risk.”

Others called for stronger action from Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.

The Herald has approached Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water for comment.

Community

Milford Haven remembers those lost at sea

Published

6 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

National Fishing Remembrance Day marked by Port

MILFORD HAVEN came together on Sunday (May 10) to remember those who have lost their lives at sea.

The Port of Milford Haven joined the Fishermen’s Mission, Stella Maris – Apostleship of the Sea and members of the local community for a National Fishing Remembrance Day service at St Katherine’s and St Peter’s Church.

The service was followed by a gathering at the Fisherman’s Memorial on The Rath, where those who never returned home from the sea were remembered.

Canon Chancellor John Cecil and Reverend Paul Osunyikanmi led what was described as a moving service of remembrance.

The Port of Milford Haven said it was honoured to take part in the event, paying tribute to fishing families and the wider maritime community.

The annual day of remembrance holds particular significance in Milford Haven, a town with deep fishing and seafaring roots.

Local Government

Jonathan Grimes becomes 647th Mayor of Pembroke

Published

7 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

JONATHAN GRIMES has said he is “incredibly proud and deeply honoured” after becoming the 647th Mayor of Pembroke.

Cllr Grimes, county councillor for Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, thanked those who had placed their trust and confidence in him.

He said: “With the support, commitment and dedication of Pembroke Town Council and our wonderful community, I am confident we can meet every challenge together, celebrate our successes, and continue building a brighter and more inclusive future for Pembroke.

“It is a true privilege to serve as Mayor, and I look forward to working alongside the people of Pembroke in the months ahead.”

Cllr Grimes said he was also looking forward to attending this afternoon’s service at St Mary’s Church in Pembroke for the Blessing of the Bells.

He added that he hoped to meet as many people as possible as the town celebrates the return of the historic bells.