Warnings about murdered six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes were ignored, his grandfather has said.

Arthur’s stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, was found guilty of his murder at Coventry Crown Court on Friday and sentenced to jail for life with a minimum term of 29 years.

Thomas Hughes, his father, 29, was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Arthur’s maternal grandfather, Peter Halcrow, said the boy’s other grandparents had issued warnings.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “They’re decent people and they were very concerned. And they issued warnings that were ignored, shall we say.”

Mr Halcrow said the couple responsible for Arthur’s death had committed a “heinous crime” by killing a “defenceless, innocent boy”.

He told the broadcaster: “I wouldn’t give them the time of day and I wouldn’t want them to see the light of day ever again.”

COVID-19: Pre-departure tests now required of arrivals in the UK to slow spread of Omicron

COVID news live: UK-approved drug Sotrovimab ‘effective against all Omicron mutations’

Storm Barra: Rain, snow and 80mph winds forecast to batter UK amid ‘danger to life’ weather warning

Arthur’s grandmother, Madeleine Halcrow, said the system which should have ensured he was safe is “broken”.

She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I am angry with the inter agencies because somewhere along the line communication hasn’t been passed along.

“The old adage ‘If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’… Well, something is broken in this system and something needs fixing.”

Discussing the jail sentences for his killers, she said: “Life should mean life. They took Arthur’s life, he’s not going to get his life back, he’s not going to have children of his own.”

What led up to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes’s death and could it have been prevented?

She said Tustin and Hughes had shown “no remorse, no sympathy”, and branded them “depraved, sadistic, torturous, evil, calculating people”.

Arthur, from Solihull in the West Midlands, was left with an unsurvivable brain injury while in the sole care of Tustin.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

She was convicted of murder by assaulting him in the hallway of her Cranmore Road home in Solihull, on 16 June 2020. He died in hospital the next day.

The trial heard Arthur’s body was covered in 130 bruises and he had previously been poisoned, starved and beaten by Tustin and his father.

Concerns were raised about his care and welfare throughout his case, it has emerged.

His uncle said he sent police pictures of his nephew’s bruises, and his grandmother had alerted social services.

Two social workers visited Arthur at home last year but said they had “no safeguarding concerns”.

A national investigation into Arthur’s death has been launched and the government has commissioned an urgent inspection of social care, health, police and probation services in Solihull.

Related posts:

Wet wood and coal for wood-burning stoves restricted from today 15 million people now fully vaccinated against COVID as UK reports 14 more deaths Gary Neville blames ‘dangerous’ Glazers for Man Utd protests and tells them to sell up ‘Deeply painful restrictions’ on funeral mourner numbers to be lifted this month Sir Jeffrey Donaldson enters race to succeed Arlene Foster as DUP leader PM warns UK must stop new variants coming from abroad amid speculation amber watchlist could be unveiled Man found guilty of murdering five-week-old son who suffered 71 rib fractures Police officer convicted of assault after kicking 15-year-old boy ‘like a football’ Team GB swimmers return home in glory after record Olympic medal haul in Tokyo Emerging picture from South Africa suggests Omicron variant could be real cause for concern New COVID drug which cuts risk of hospitalisation and death by 79% approved for use in the UK Ex-Prince Charles aide coordinated with ‘fixers’ over honours nomination for Saudi billionaire