Latest news with #EthanIvesGriffiths
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Final days of little boy with 'killer grandparents' before they 'murdered him while his mother was upstairs' is shown to jury
The final days of a two-year-old boy who was allegedly murdered by his grandparents while his mother was upstairs have been shown to a jury. Ethan Ives-Griffiths was caught on camera with his grandparents at Broughton Retail Park on August 13, 2021, just days before he collapsed and died. The toddler can be seen sitting in the child seat of a shopping trolley, which is being pushed along. Ethan was described as being 'severely underweight and covered in bruises' when he was found injured at the family home and later died on August 16, 2021. The young boy was taken from his grandparents' house in Garden City, North Wales, to Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital but died from 'catastrophic' head injuries. Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, are on trial accused of murder, causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child - which they deny. They blamed Ethan's mother, Shannon Ives, 28, but the prosecution said she was out of the room and not responsible for the fatal injuries. Ms Ives, 28, is charged with causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child. She also denies the charges. Today, jurors at Mold Crown Court heard messages had been exchanged between Ethan's mother and social workers in the weeks prior to his death. Ms Ives had been informed by a Flintshire social worker that Ethan would need to be seen every ten days because he was placed on the child protection register on July 6. Jurors were shown CCTV footage of a visit to the house by a social worker on August 5, 2021. In evidence, DC Lee Harshey-Jones of North Wales Police's major incident team outlined phone messages between the Ives family. He told the jury that in one Shannon Ives had complained her son 'just won't listen, as usual'. DC Harshey-Jones was also questioned by the prosecutor about a text allegedly from Shannon Ives to a health visitor on August 13, 2021, claiming Ethan was 'really poorly, I can't leave him.' After this text, CCTV at the family home showed him placed in a car seat. The car was then seen at a retail park. The jury heard details of text messages sent by members of the Ives family to each other. In one, Kerry Ives claimed they had been called 'child beaters'. Kerry Ives also wrote in a message: 'I used to get hit every day by my mum and dad.' The jury were also shown footage of two older children being allowed to hit him on the head while his grandfather watched. It also showed another child put his foot on the two-year-old's head while they were on a trampoline and Mr Ives turn a hosepipe on him for eight seconds as he lay face down on the trampoline. Opening the case last week, prosecuting KC Caroline Rees told the jury that Ethan was two years and three months old when he died in a Liverpool hospital on August 16, 2021. 'Ethan, come on,' a male voice was heard saying during a 999 call to the ambulance service. The recording was played to the jury. His grandmother had claimed: 'He's been watching telly and fell to the floor. His body has gone all limp.' He was described as a quiet boy and, as a result of neglect, 'painfully thin.' The youngster's time at his grandparents' home was 'thoroughly miserable,' the KC alleged. 'He was targeted by the defendants as an object of abuse and neglect.' Ethan had collapsed at the family home on the night of August 14, 2021. The grandparents were in the room, the jury heard. A post-mortem examination showed Ethan had 40 different injuries on his body, including a swollen brain and numerous trauma injuries to his head and abdomen, the court heard. There were cuts, grazes and bruises, the prosecution said. Another doctor felt the combination of injuries was consistent with 'shaken baby syndrome.' A CT scan showed a significant bleed on the brain, the prosecutor said. The prosecutor alleged Ethan was 'shown vanishingly little care by Kerry and Shannon and experienced casual brutality'. The trial judge Mr Justice Griffiths told the jury: 'You must keep an open mind until the very end of the case.'
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Boy, two, was placed on the child protection register month before 'he was murdered by his grandparents while his mother was upstairs', court hears
A two-year-old boy was placed on the child protection register a month before his death, a court heard today. Ethan Ives-Griffiths was described as being 'severely underweight and covered in bruises' when he was found injured at the family home on August 16, 2021. The young boy was taken from his grandparents' house in Garden City, North Wales, to Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital but died from 'catastrophic' head injuries. Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, are on trial accused of murder, causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child - which they deny. They blamed Ethan's mother, Shannon Ives, 28, but the prosecution said she was out of the room and not responsible for the fatal injuries. Ms Ives, 28, is charged with causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child. She also denies the charges. Today, jurors at Mold Crown Court heard messages had been exchanged between Ethan's mother and social workers in the weeks prior to his death. Ms Ives had been informed by a Flintshire social worker that Ethan would need to be seen every ten days because he was placed on the register on July 6. Grandfather Michael Ives, 46, (pictured left) and grandmother Kerry Ives, 45, (pictured right) are accused of murdering their grandson as well as assault and neglect Jurors were shown CCTV footage of a visit to the house by a social worker on August 5, 2021. In evidence, DC Lee Harshey-Jones of North Wales Police's major incident team outlined phone messages between the Ives family. He told the jury that in one Shannon Ives had complained her son 'just won't listen, as usual.' There was a 'catastrophic head and brain injury,' the jury heard. A Home Office pathologist saw 40 injuries on the body, it was alleged. There were cuts, grazes and bruises, the prosecution said. Another doctor felt the combination of injuries was consistent with 'shaken baby syndrome.' Opening the case last week, prosecuting KC Caroline Rees told the jury that Ethan was two years and three months old when he died in a Liverpool hospital on August 16, 2021. He was described as a quiet boy and, as a result of neglect, 'painfully thin.' The youngster's time at his grandparents' home was 'thoroughly miserable,' the KC alleged. 'He was targeted by the defendants as an object of abuse and neglect.' Ethan had collapsed at the family home on the night of August 14, 2021. The grandparents were in the room, the jury heard. A CT scan showed a significant bleed on the brain, the prosecutor said. The jury heard about a text message in the run up to the tragedy from Kerry Ives to a family member in which she claimed they'd been called 'child beaters' by him. Kerry Ives also wrote in a message: 'I used to get hit every day by my mum and dad.' DC Harshey-Jones was questioned by the prosecutor about a text allegedly from Shannon Ives to a health visitor on August 13, 2021, claiming Ethan was 'really poorly, I can't leave him.' After this text, CCTV at the family home showed him placed in a car seat. The car was then seen at Broughton retail park. At a previous hearing, the prosecutor alleged Ethan was 'shown vanishingly little care by Kerry and Shannon and experienced casual brutality'. The trial judge Mr Justice Griffiths told the jury: 'You must keep an open mind until the very end of the case.'
BBC News
17 hours ago
- BBC News
Flintshire murder accused couple called child beaters
A couple accused of murdering their grandson were called "child beaters," by their son, a court has Ethan Ives-Griffiths was living with his grandparents before he died on 16 August 2021 from a catastrophic head Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, both of Garden City, Flintshire, deny murder, causing or allowing the death of a child and child mother, Shannon Ives, 28, of Mold, has denied causing or allowing the death of a child and child cruelty. On Monday, Mold Crown Court heard details of text messages sent by members of the Ives family to each one message, Kerry Ives and her adult son discussed him moving out of her home because she lied about her tenancy. In one message, Kerry Ives said: "The reason dad told you to get out was because you called us 'child beaters'."Her son replied that by the time "you realise what you put all us kids through, it'll be too late".His mother responded by saying: "What's he put you through? Nothing."She said he too would have issues if "you had parents like he did: Kicked out at a young age, going into a children's home, being hit every day".Kerry Ives said she too was "hit every day by my mum and dad".The court was told Mr Ives sent a text to another of his adult children after Ethan moved in to live with the said when Ethan was being "naughty" he "needs to learn the hard way". By July 2021, Ethan was on the child protection register and the court heard details of repeated contact between Shannon Ives and social services. In one text message, she asked: "I won't have the children taken from me, will I?"The jury heard social workers and health visitors made frequent attempts to contact Shannon Ives and establish where she and Ethan were Caroline Rees KC earlier told the court Ethan was "quiet and withdrawn, small and painfully thin", by the time of his collapsed on 14 August 2021 after a "forceful attack" by those who should have cared for him most, the jury was told.A post-mortem examination showed he weighed 22lb (10kg) and was 92cm (3ft) had 40 different injuries on his body, including a swollen brain and numerous trauma injuries to his head and court heard the pathologist concluded it was likely he had been the victim of non-accidental injuries and the cause of death was a head trial continues.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Labour will take extra tax from millions of pensioners after paying them a winter fuel allowance - and their relatives could even be liable
A two-year-old boy suffered 'weeks of misery' before he was 'murdered by his grandparents' while they were looking after him, a court has heard. Ethan Ives-Griffiths was described as being 'severely underweight and covered in bruises' when he was found injured at the home of his grandparents. The young boy was taken from their home in Garden City, North Wales, to Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital but later died from 'catastrophic' head injuries. Grandfather Michael Ives, 46, and grandmother Kerry Ives, 45, are accused of murdering their grandson as well as assault and neglect. Ethan's mother, Shannon Ives, was upstairs on her phone at the time he was struck the fatal blow, Mold Crown Court was told.
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Grandparents ‘left boy, 2, so neglected he looked like 90-year-old before murdering him in brutal attack'
A COUPLE left their grandson so neglected he looked like a 90-year-old before they murdered him, a court heard. Ethan Ives-Griffiths, two, suffered 40 different injuries after he was allegedly attacked by Michael Ives and Kerry Ives. 4 4 Jurors heard the lack of care he received was "grossly neglectful" and his treatment was tantamount to "humiliation". His weight was "dangerously" low and he looked emaciated with his rib bones clearly visible, it was said. One paramedic called to the couple's home in Deeside, North Wales, said Ethan "looked like a 90-year-old man with dark, recessed eyes". They had discovered the toddler collapsed on the floor in front of the sofa with three bruises in the shape of a hand. Mold Crown Court heard the toddler had a long list of injuries to his head and neck including cuts to his jaw, mouth and neck. Ethan had also suffered deep bruising to his jaw and his brain was swollen by a "direct force trauma" to his mouth. The court heard this was the "culmination of emotional and physical abuse on him by people who should have cared for him most". Ethan had suffered a "thoroughly miserable" life and had was allegedly an "object of abuse and neglect" for gran Kerry and mum Shannon Kayleigh Ives. At the time of the horror in August 2021, his mum Shannon, 27, was upstairs on her phone. Jurors heard there was a "pact of silence" by "team of two" Michael, 46, and Kerry, 45, to conceal the truth. They both blamed their daughter for the violence and claimed she had "no patience" with Ethan. But prosecutor Caroline Rees said all three were to blame for the cruelty inflicted on Ethan in his short life. She added: "He was shown vanishingly little care by Kerry and Shannon and experienced casual brutality. "He would have experienced pain and misery in the weeks before he died. He was severely underweight and covered in bruises." Michael and Kerry deny murder, assault and neglect, while Shannon has pleaded not guilty to causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm. The trial continues. 4 4
