Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Social worker 'shocked' by photos of boy's bruises

The court previously heard Arthur Labinjo-Hughes appeared to be drained and weak on the days before he died

A social worker was "shocked" by photos of bruising on a boy taken a day before they visited and found no safeguarding concerns, a court has heard.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, died after sustaining an "unsurvivable" brain injury at his Solihull home last year.

Social workers were sent to his home in April 2020 after concerns were raised by his grandmother, however told a jury they found no cause for concern.

His father, Thomas Hughes, and his partner, Emma Tustin, deny murder.

The couple are on trial at Coventry Crown Court, where they also face charges of child cruelty.

The court heard two separate referrals had been made to police and social services raising concerns about Arthur's wellbeing, with the second relating to unexplained bruising on his back.

Jayne Kavanagh, from Solihull Council, attended his home on Cranmore Road in Shirley on 17 April where she said she found a "very faint" yellow bruise on his back but Arthur otherwise seemed "happy, playful and boisterous".

She was later shown a photo taken the previous day by his grandmother which showed bruising on his shoulder and was unable to account for how it was missed.

"I was really confused," she said. "I was in shock that these photos had been taken the day before."

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One of his teachers told the court last week they were told by social services Arthur's injuries were the result of "boisterous play".

In June 2020, floral tributes were left at Ms Tustin's home where prosecutors said Arthur was fatally injured

Arthur died on 17 June 2020.

Prosecutors previously said he died after being banged repeatedly against a hard surface at Ms Tustin's home and was subjected to a campaign of mistreatment and poisoned with salt.

Mr Hughes, 29, of Stroud Road, and Ms Tustin, 32, of Cranmore Road, both deny murder.

Ms Tustin has admitted child cruelty by ill-treating Arthur, a charge that Mr Hughes denies.

They both deny allegations of child cruelty by administering salt to Arthur between 1 and 17 June 2020 as well as two counts of child cruelty by assault on multiple occasions and also by withholding food and/or drink.

The trial continues.