Reports Emma Tustin was hospitalised after inmates force fed her salt are not true

15 December 2021
What was claimed

Emma Tustin, convicted of the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, has been hospitalised after inmates forced her to eat 79 packets of salt.

Our verdict

Sodexo, which runs the prison where Tustin is serving her sentence, says there is no truth to the claim.

A Facebook post from 7 December claims that Emma Tustin, who murdered six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, has been sent to hospital after inmates forced her to eat “79 packets of salt”. 

Ms Tustin, who was found guilty of murder and child cruelty charges in December 2021, is now imprisoned in HMP Peterborough where she was also held on remand ahead of her trial. 

During the trial it was alleged that six-year-old Arthur was force fed salt-laced meals, among a series of cruelties inflicted by Ms Tustin and Arthur’s father Thomas Hughes.  

Some reports stated Ms Tustin had salt thrown at her while held on remand, while reports say her former cellmate claimed inmates over-salted Ms Tustin’s food. 

However, Sodexo (which runs HMP Peterborough) told Full Fact “the claims are not true and the prisoner has not been taken to hospital.”

The Ministry of Justice also said it had not received any information to suggest it was true.  

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