Logan Mwangi was made to do press-ups 'to burn up energy', stepdad tells murder trial – follow live

A man accused of murdering his five-year-old stepson then leaving the boy’s body in a river has told a court he got the youngster to do press-ups “to burn up energy”. The trial had earlier heard prosecution witnesses allege Logan Mwangi was subjected to physical punishments and denied food if he was naughty. John Cole, 40, gave evidence at his trial and claimed while the little boy as denied takeaway food “probably three or four times” he had been given other food instead.

Schoolboy Logan was found dead on July 31 last year in a river near his home in Bridgend. Logan's mother Angharad Williamson, 30, of Lower Llansantffraid, Sarn, Bridgend, and stepdad Cole, of Maesglas, Ynysawdre, Bridgend, deny his murder. A third defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, has also pleaded not guilty to murder and all are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Prosecutors allege Logan had been subjected to a “brutal and sustained assault” prior to his death and suffered the kind of injuries usually seen in car crash victims before his body was dumped in the River Ogmore.

Read more:Go here to recap the prosecution case in full

Giving evidence on Wednesday while being questioned by his barrister David Elias QC the defendant, who goes by the nickname Jay, said he moved to Bridgend in 2017. He also confirmed he had previous convictions for offences including bruglary, theft, witness intimidation, blackmail, battery, and perverting the course of justice.

The court heard the last convictions were in 2007 and he had decided to turn his life around after his sister and her baby died during childbirth in July 2006. Cole said he was affected “traumatically” by the tragedy, adding: “Up to that point I was drifting back and forwards