Clare Williamson, 64, from Bridgend, south Wales, was the grandmother of five-year-old Logan Mwangi, who she described as ‘the apple of her eye’ and was brutally murdered in 2021
A grieving grandma of a murdered schoolboy fell from a 200 feet cliff in a suspected suicide, an inquest has heard.
Clare Williamson, 64, was devastated by the killing of her tragic five-year-old grandson Logan Mwangi who she described as “the apple of her eye”. Her own daughter Angharad Williamson was convicted of the boy’s brutal killing – and is serving a minimum of 28 years jail for his murder. Heartbroken Clare gave evidence at the trial were Angharad, Logan’s stepfather John Cole, 40, and Cole’s stepson Craig Mulligan, 14, were all convicted of murder. Clare’s tragic death comes just three years after Logan died three miles from their home.
Police were alerted and located her car at a cliff location near her home in Bridgend, South Wales. Ms Williamson’s body was spotted on the beach below and was recovered by the Porthcawl lifeboat. An inquest heard the provisional cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries. Clare had told the jury she saw Logan after he was murdered – still still wearing his dinosaur pyjama bottoms and Spider-Man top.
Logan had suffered 56 external cuts and bruises, and “catastrophic” internal injuries likened to a high-speed road accident, caused by a “brutal and sustained assault” in the hours, or days, prior to his death.
Clare tried to protect her daughter saying she never saw Logan being treated cruelly. When asked if she had ever seen her daughter be “physical or violent” towards Logan, she replied: “Absolutely not. She was a fantastic mum, she loved him to pieces.” Ms Williamson described Logan as “the apple of my eye”, adding: “He was a very, very bright child, a joy to be around.”
But the grandmother had seen little of the schoolboy in the months leading up to the July, 2021, murder because of a “difficult relationship” with John Cole, described in court as controlling.
Angharad and Cole tried to cover up the horrific events in their two-bedroom flat in Sarn, Bridgend, by claiming Logan had gone to the river alone in the middle of the night. His grandmother was asked if Logan was the type of boy to wander off in the night. She replied: “No.” Despite the rift Mrs Williamson was the first person her daughter turned to after Logan’s limp body was found in the River Ogmore, just a few hundred yards from the family home.
All three were jailed for life with Angharad given a 28-year minimum sentence, Cole getting 29 years and Mulligan five years. Angharad’s appeal against conviction in January, 2023, was turned down.
Her mother Mrs Williamson never spoke publicly after the trial. The inquest heard Mrs Williamson, from Bridgend, was identified by her son Lloyd Williamson. Assistant South Wales central coroner Rachel Knight gave her condolences to her family “at this sad time”. Logan was not mentioned during the brief hearing which was adjourned while inquiries continue.
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