“No punishment could ever be enough.”
The grandfather of murdered six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has said the couple behind his death should “never see the light of day again”.
Dad Thomas Hughes and his girlfriend Emma Tustin were found guilty of causing the boy’s death at Coventry Crown Court in the UK on Friday, with Tustin being jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years and Hughes receiving a 21-year sentence for manslaughter.
Arthur’s maternal grandad, Peter Halcrow, 61, told the Sun the pair should never leave prison after the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) confirmed their sentences are to be reviewed.
“They must never see the light of day again. No punishment could ever be enough for this pair,” he said.
Mr Halcrow added that while he “never favoured the death penalty” as courts can mistakes, he believes Hughes and Tustin “have forfeited their right to live.”
“It will burden taxpayers but, as we don’t have capital punishment, they should certainly never leave prison as long as they live for such cruelty and inhumanity,” he said.
Arthur died in 2020 after suffering an “unsurvivable brain injury.” He was found to have 130 different injuries on his body at the time of his death.
A spokesperson for the AGO said: “The Attorney General’s thoughts are with those who loved Arthur.
“I can confirm that the sentences given to Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes have been referred to the Attorney General for review to determine whether they were too low.”
The AGO has 28 days from the date of sentencing to review the case and assess whether the sentence falls under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, then to decide whether it should be referred to the UK Court of Appeal.
Arthur’s maternal grandmother, Madeleine Halcrow, previously described Hughes and Tustin as “wicked” and “evil”.
