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Emma Tustin is a murderer

999 replies

DueyCheatemAndHow · 02/12/2021 16:18

Finally. We can say it.

I've just utterly broken down for Arthur.

OP posts:
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mathanxiety · 02/12/2021 23:33

I'd go so far as to say that this case is emblematic of the problematic institutional emphasis on father's contact at all costs, over the welfare of the child. Even this manslaughterer's own mother was concerned and the authorities did nothing.

THIS

Onthedunes · 02/12/2021 23:35

Icelolly12.

Exactly, there would be uproar, if social workers took kids out of the home.

Don't you see you have been programmed to see it from the parents perspective.

The child should be removed for at least the time it takes to take the child for an expert medical assesment, many social workers are clearly afraid to properly check the child and also they are not medically trained.

Society should be afraid of a force which hold powers that protect children, it should not fall entirely on the shoulders of SW's.

Some of these parents are scary as shit, no wonder they are afraid, who wouldn't be. I mean could you imagine a bunch of SW's trying to clean up a busy city centre of drunks and drug takers on a Friday night.

Special forces are needed, it's not about the caring of the children, it's about protecting the children from some very dangerous and damaged adults.

EvenMoreFuriousVexation · 02/12/2021 23:36

Someone upthread said that the father "went from Disney Dad to everyday dad and couldn't handle it" (paraphrasing - sorry I'm so upset by this case that I don't even feel able to go back through the thread.)

This is very true. The jury heard this evidence:
Since he was five - before Mr Hughes and Ms Tustin struck up a relationship - Arthur had expressed concerns his father was going to kill him, Ms Prior told the court. She said the boy had expressed this to his wider family, his doctor and his school "for well over a year and nobody listened".

Tustin, obviously, is a murderer and I hope she rots in hell, but I'm incensed that the father, Hughes, has got away with manslaughter and will receive a stupidly short sentence simply because he happened to be out when the killing blow was struck.

Yes some men (far too many) throw their children under the bus for the sake of a shag - but in this case he was clearly already abusive - this was a case of two abusers meeting and enabling each other, with lethal results for the victim.

Don't ever believe that the bus-throwing is reserved for men. Plenty of women sacrifice their children for the sake of sex/"love"/finances. My mum would have happily seen a bus fucking reverse over me rather than give up her comfortable life with my paedophile dad.

@Mufasa1118 I'm so sorry for what you went through as a child. You said that this case has given you a breakthrough moment in realising you (and your brother) didn't deserve the abuse you were subjected to. Please hold onto that. Your posts on this thread have been very brave, and your decision to stay away from children when you can't trust yourself is commendable. You are so much better than your mum. I really hope that you can use this moment to move forward and let go of those old beliefs that you are evil/tainted/cursed/bad blood. You can break the cycle. You deserve happiness and peace.

Youngatheart00 · 02/12/2021 23:37

Such a tragedy her suicide attempt wasn’t successful

This case is heartbreaking

Fruby · 02/12/2021 23:43

I’m heartbroken to read about this. No child should be allowed to slip through the net like this. May he rest in peace

sorrysaywhatnow · 02/12/2021 23:44

This harrowing case has sickened me to the core, I haven't been able to stop crying at the images of his injury inflicted little body dragging his bedding across the floor, or the audio recordings of him begging for food, and saying that 'nobody loves me'. I hope they rot in hell.

pangolina · 02/12/2021 23:45

This case has really affected me, I've woken up in the night thinking about it.
I don't often wish for vengeance, but I do hope they are both spending tonight in absolute terror at their sentences tomorrow, and what awaits them in prison.
Reading that others have been feeling the same has helped lift the weight I've felt pressing on me since learning about this case, thank you all for posting.
I hope little Star's case ends with a similarly satisfactory verdict.

Onthedunes · 02/12/2021 23:48

Could I ask some of the posters who were on the original threads, does anyone know about the report that Tustin and Hughes were arrested or cautioned in a local woods the day before lockdown and just before they went to live at Tustins home .
It was in the local paper.

I wonder what they were burning ?
Arthurs toys I wonder, cause he didn't have anything in her house except a small cardboard box of items.

ilovepixie · 02/12/2021 23:49

Why didn't the 'worried' extended family members help, or remove him from them.

mathanxiety · 02/12/2021 23:50

He's got away with something really nasty because Olivia was fucked up enough to stab a man.

Agree with you, @PleaseGoDontGoAgain.

I think the jury made a mistake here. TH was completely invested in the abuse, aware of all of it, and meted out much of it (including the emotional and psychological abuse - the destruction of Arthur's beloved blanket, teddy, and Birmingham City shirt) and if ET hadn't given Arthur a brain injury that killed him, the abuse he was encouraging and participating in would have killed him. The pair of them were equally involved.

DueyCheatemAndHow · 02/12/2021 23:51

@ilovepixie they tried. They reported to social services. They reported to the police. They were threatened with arrest if they attempted to take him

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 02/12/2021 23:51

He's got away with something really nasty because Olivia was fucked up enough to stab a man

Forgot italics

Onthedunes · 02/12/2021 23:59

@ilovepixie

Why didn't the 'worried' extended family members help, or remove him from them.
I think sometimes even though you know someone is not 'right' you couldn't imagine the treatment she was metering out to that poor boy.

It was calculated, continuous and sadistic. Who would think anyone could do what she did.

I personally think, that it was premeditated, she knew if Arthur was returned back into society hell would tell, she killed him so he couldn't talk.

This was a long lingering death sentence on that boy, which speeded up at the end because they were both scared to death of the consequences of being found out at the end of lockdown.

They thought they could get away with it.
Evil idiots.

salsmum · 03/12/2021 00:10

I find it hard to understand why the hairdresser and her DP didn't notice how she punished Arthur in their presence and her hatred for him and contempt would have been evident to any person she saw on a 'hairdresser level' ... When sat in a Hairdresers chair in a home setting for quite a few hours I'm sure she would have spoken about Arthur in a wicked, cruel way that coupled with his limping, painful movements and gaunt, hungry features would surely set anyones alarm bells ringing???? Angry

Yankey812 · 03/12/2021 00:14

When she was stopped by the police she kind of smirks and you can tell she is lying. Alo she is almost cheerful when most parents would be hysterical. Also the jury didn't make a 'mistake' regarding the other defendant they would have to (the prosecution) prove he was actually responsible for his son's actual death which they couldn't because she banged his head. You can't just convict someone because you would like to. However he should receive other charges for child cruelty which should run consecutively.

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 03/12/2021 00:17

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Beachbreak2411 · 03/12/2021 00:21

@viques

The jury asked if they could have a minutes silence to honour Arthur. The judge agreed.

Strangers giving him more love and respect than those who should have been loving him.

Oh That’s lovely. That Jury must’ve been through the wringer with this case. Taking a minute to honour the poor child is what he deserved. Such a shame the love and honour came to late for him. Hope his dad and cunt of a girlfriend get tortured in prison
user1481840227 · 03/12/2021 00:25

@mathanxiety

He's got away with something really nasty because Olivia was fucked up enough to stab a man.

Agree with you, @PleaseGoDontGoAgain.

I think the jury made a mistake here. TH was completely invested in the abuse, aware of all of it, and meted out much of it (including the emotional and psychological abuse - the destruction of Arthur's beloved blanket, teddy, and Birmingham City shirt) and if ET hadn't given Arthur a brain injury that killed him, the abuse he was encouraging and participating in would have killed him. The pair of them were equally involved.

I'm not English but was just reading about the definition of murder in English law...the following is taken from wikipedia.

*Because murder is generally defined in law as an intent to cause serious harm or injury (alone or with others), combined with a death arising from that intention, there are certain circumstances where a death will be treated as murder even if the defendant did not wish to kill the actual victim. This is called "transferred malice", and arises in two common cases:

The defendant intended serious harm to one or more persons, but an unintended other person dies as a result;
Several people share an intent to do serious harm, and the victim dies because of the action of any of those involved (for example, if another person goes "further than expected" or performs an unexpectedly lethal action).

Surely the second applies! It was clear from their text messages and actions that they intended to do serious harm.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_English_law

user1481840227 · 03/12/2021 00:28

or maybe I am interpreting that wrong?

LexMitior · 03/12/2021 00:30

It is a horror story - they broke that child to bits and recorded it.

ET may be sociopath, but its still all about adult needs, all the time. This boy wasn't believed when he spoke at school, he wasn't acknowledged, and he was terrorised by two adults who showed no feelings of care for him at any stage. No other adult intervened to help or care for him.

Grim as it is to acknowledge, this boy wasn't wanted and they poisoned him slowly.

He would have been better off with an average stranger than his father and his stepmother. I don't know what the family background is of both of these disgusting people, but I imagine it will be very revealing, along with the people they associated with in their daily lives.

NoSquirrels · 03/12/2021 00:32

@salsmum

I find it hard to understand why the hairdresser and her DP didn't notice how she punished Arthur in their presence and her hatred for him and contempt would have been evident to any person she saw on a 'hairdresser level' ... When sat in a Hairdresers chair in a home setting for quite a few hours I'm sure she would have spoken about Arthur in a wicked, cruel way that coupled with his limping, painful movements and gaunt, hungry features would surely set anyones alarm bells ringing???? Angry
They did notice.

The boyfriend gave Arthur water secretly. They were shocked at his appearance. From BBC article

The couple were struck by the state of the boy they had last seen in February. Then, he was really quite healthy looking, they told the court. Just a few months later, he was gaunt, malnourished and too weak to hold a glass of water Mr Jarman had smuggled him.
In his eyes was fear, they would say, and it soon became apparent why. Like at home, he was forced to stand in the hallway and when he failed to stand up straight, Hughes was heard bellowing at his son, threatening ...

You can find the rest of the quote if you want I read it but I didn’t want to copy it here.

That was hours before his death.

The article doesn’t say they saw him the day before - but even if they did, would 24-hours earlier have meant help came quickly enough?

It’s all fucking awful.

I’m really touched by the PPs who’ve shared their stories and how it’s affected them in later life. Some very very brave people here. Flowers

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/12/2021 00:34

At a pre-trial hearing in April 2021, Tustin’s barrister said her client had been receiving “significant and substantial threats”, although it is unclear if she was at the same prison at the time

Well ain't that a darned shame .....not !
Some might say Its a start

PinkWednesdays · 03/12/2021 00:41

@Youngatheart00

Such a tragedy her suicide attempt wasn’t successful

This case is heartbreaking

I’m glad it wasn’t. I think honour amongst thieves does actually exist in prison, and child murderers aren’t exactly well received by fellow inmates…
AutomaticMoon · 03/12/2021 00:53

@BleuJay I’m sorry, I just found out about this murder, horrified. The teacher used those words? Fixated with dad killing him? What is happening to compassion, bloody hell. Poor little boy.

Lockdownbear · 03/12/2021 00:53

@ilovepixie

Why didn't the 'worried' extended family members help, or remove him from them.
Because they didn't have the right to police would have taken him back to his Dad.

His DGran was threatened with fines for breaking lockdown because she was worried about him.