Arthur Labinjo-Hughes murder: Government announces national investigation

A national investigation will probe the murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Dominic Raab said.

The boy’s stepmother Emma Tustin was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years at Coventry Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of torturing and murdering her stepson.

Mr Hughes was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter after encouraging the “evil” killing.

Now the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed there would be an inquiry into the six-year-old’s death when he appeared on Trevor Phillips On Sunday show.

As a father of two boys, Mr Raab said he couldn’t begin to imagine how anyone could be so cruel.

He told Sky News: “The most vulnerable in our society need to have the maximum protection.”

A wider review will look at how social services and local authorities liaise with the criminal justice system under a microscope.

The aim of the review will be to “learn lessons” in the wake of Arthur’s death, Mr Raab said.

“We’ve had those sentences for the two parents, the Attorney General has made clear she wants to have them reviewed where we have a mechanism for doing so,” he said.

“There will be a local safeguarding review which will look at the local authority’s actions - whether any lessons could have been picked up earlier, whether any warning flags could have been put up earlier.

“And the Prime Minister has made clear, as well as that, we want to see how social services and the local authorities liaise with the criminal justice agencies and what lessons further we can learn.”

It is understood the Department for Education will make a formal announcement for the national investigation later on Sunday.

Previously, it was announced the Attorney General also will review the jail sentences of Arthur’s stepmother and father.

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