Latest news with #KerryIves
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Moment evil Wolverhampton grandparents confronted by police over grandson's murder
These are the chilling moments police officers confronted two grandparents over the murder of their two-year-old grandson. Michael Ives and Kerry Ives, aged 47 and 46, were on Tuesday (July 15) convicted of murdering Ethan Ives-Griffiths at their home in North Wales back in August 2021. The pair, originally from Wolverhampton, were also found guilty of cruelty to a child while Ethan's 28-year-old mother Shannon Ives was found guilty of that offence as well. READ MORE: Evil granddad murdered grandson as his mum and grandmother 'watched abuse unfold' Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join In addition, Shannon was convicted of causing or allowing his death. Footage released by North Wales Police showed officers questioning Michael and Kerry. One clip showed Michael forcefully picking up Ethan by his arm and placing him in a car. Questioned by an officer about how he felt watching the incident back, Michael replied: "Disgusted with myself." Another clipped showed Michael spraying Ethan with a hose whilst the youngster played on a trampoline in a back garden. Michael was also seen carrying Ethan off from the trampoline in a similar forceful manner "like a bag of rubbish." An officer asked Michael: "Ethan, given his size and weight, his fragility, how do you think that felt to him receiving that treatment?" "I don't know, he wasn't whinging or anything," replied Michael. The officer continued: "What had Ethan done to deserve being picked up and treated in such a way?" "Nothing," replied Michael. "Had he been naughty?" the officer asked. Michael responded: "No." Kerry gave evidence recalling how Ethan's mum Shannon would "smack him". Other clips showed Michael and Kerry being quizzed in their living room recalling the moments Ethan collapsed on August 14, 2021. They were in the living room of their Flintshire home with Ethan when he sustained a "catastrophic" head injury, leading to his death just two days later - you can read more here. Michael and Kerry recalled Michael saying "stopping messing about" after he was found on the floor. Michael Ives and Kerry Ives, both of Kingsley Road, Garden City, Deeside, and their daughter, Shannon Ives, of Nant Garmon, Mold, are set to be sentenced at Mold Crown Court on Friday, October 3.
North Wales Live
19-07-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
The little boy who was utterly failed by the very people who should have loved and cared for him
He was the boy who was let down on all sides. His mother, grandmother and grandfather were all directly culpable - and health visitors and social workers were unable to halt the countdown to disaster. Deviousness on the doorstep regarding Ethan's real condition and some of the pandemic restrictions due to Covid-19 all contributed in the failure to stop the downward spiral for the innocent two-year-old. It culminated in a belated and frantic 999 call by grandmother Kerry Ives after Ethan's second collapse on August 14, 2021. But she had still felt it necessary to Facetime one of her daughters for advice first, creating an unfathomable, 18-minute delay. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here During the trial, a paediatric neurosurgeon Dr Jayaratnam Jayamohan said that that delay would 'probably' have made no difference to the outcome for the emaciated, brown-haired toddler. By that point it was simply too late. He said the head injury could have been caused by an impact. He said it could have been from 'either some object moving to hit the right side of Ethan's head, or Ethan's head moving to hit an object. "It could be a fist, a hand or a knee or it could be an object that you pick up', or from Ethan being shaken, or both," he told the jury. During the 999 call, the call handler told Kerry Ives to get someone to collect a defibrillator from a yellow cabinet on the front wall of a pharmacy on Welsh Road. Michael Ives then "flew" outside to collect it to save the malnourished tot - likely not motivated by genuine concern for Ethan but only the potential consequences that would come for himself. Soon the ambulance arrived at 44 Kingsley Road. Doorbell footage showed a paramedic entering and coming out carrying the limp, thin Ethan to the waiting ambulance that night. That clip left an indelible mark on the minds of many in court. No stretcher was required - he was that small. The tot had sustained 40 marks and bruises which Michael Ives claimed was surprising. He died in Alder Hey children's hospital on Merseyside on August 16 with experienced Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers citing blunt force injuries. He had probably been punched in the abdomen, he concluded. There was bleeding in two areas of his abdomen which spread to bleeding on the brain, brain stem and down his spinal cord. Dr Rodgers said: "This type of pathology is related to severe trauma, severe force, likely to be seen in a high speed road traffic collision. You are not going to get this bleeding and spinal injury from a low level force. "(Or) you'd have to fall from a great height - three, four, five storeys from a balcony" (to have Ethan's injuries). 'It's like someone has been punched in the guts,' he said in court. Yet the jury of seven women and five men heard Ethan had once been a lively even chubby boy - 'a little chump', according to his mum Shannon Ives. For various reasons, he ended up with his grandparents in Garden City. Footage showed him playing in the garden, on a trampoline and in a paddling pool - known to the family as the swimming pool. The irony was that this family footage was eventually used by the prosecution to convict them, as it revealed their grisly cruelty. Michael Ives intimated Ethan should be punched, forced the lad to put his hands on his head as 'punishment' for over 40 minutes on one occasion, (as he needed to learn 'the hard way'), and callously let him lie on the bouncy surface with activity around him. All were signs of the unfolding cruelty. Once North Wales Police got involved Michael claimed he was 'ashamed' and 'disgusted' with himself. He particularly regretted dragging Ethan by one arm on several occasions from the trampoline or to the car. But this apparent shame and disgust came too late to save the little boy. As for Ethan's mother Shannon, she claimed she was too 'scared' to report her Dad to the authorities - fearing his reaction. She said she 'hated' her Dad for what he did to Ethan. She coldly calls her parents 'Michael and Kerry'. She and her siblings had been subjected to corporal punishment as children by their parents, according to her and her brother Josh. Shannon also claimed she didn't want to go back to the home she once shared with Ethan's Dad Will Griffiths in Mold - that's partly why she ended up in Kingsley Road. Shannon told her defence barrister Gordon Cole KC that in one troubling incident - in which Michael walks with an exaggeratedly wide gait behind his grandson along the path into their house on August 13 that Michael Ives was "mimicking Ethan". Shannon said she was smiling because she "didn't know what he was doing' at first. "Looking back he was obviously taking the p*** out of Ethan," Shannon Ives admitted. On the night August 14 when Ethan collapsed her Dad Michael said his legs had gone like 'jelly' and he carried him into the garden, as the adults tried to revive Ethan. Soon afterwards Shannon said she realised her mum Kerry was on the phone to her sister Nicole. Shannon said she asked 'What are you doing? What are you not ringing an ambulance?' And Shannon said Michael said 'Just ring an ambulance'. Later Shannon said she saw Ethan at Alder Hey children's hospital. He had tubes coming out of him and a bandage around his head. She was in a 'really bad state…upset and crying and wondering what had happened to Ethan,' the court heard. Shannon too let Ethan down. She herself acknowledged she put her son "at risk of serious harm" by not leaving. She tried and failed to do so the night before his fatal collapse. She said her parents "threatened her with social services" if she exposed the cruelty. Ultimately, she said as a mum she let Ethan down during a tearful exchange with prosecutor Caroline Rees KC in courtroom No. 1. She wasn't the only one.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- BBC News
Ethan Ives Griffiths' murderers are 'evilest people on Earth', dad says
The father of a toddler murdered by his grandparents said he held his son as his life support was switched off and has branded his killers the "evilest people on Earth".Ethan Ives Griffiths, two, was killed by his grandparents Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, at their home in Garden City, Flintshire, in August mother, Shannon Ives, 28, from Mold, was convicted of causing or allowing Ethan's death and child father, Will Griffiths, 29, from Flint, said he partly blamed himself for the death and claimed he warned Flintshire social services the toddler was not safe with his grandparents. Flintshire council said it was co-operating with a child practice review. Mr Griffiths also said "the way they treated him is like a bunch of chimpanzees, just playing with him and everyone having a go like it's a toy". Ethan suffered a catastrophic brain injury at his grandparents' home on 14 August 2021, and died in hospital two days was severely malnourished and underweight, and had more than 40 injuries on his went to live with his grandparents in June 2021 after a domestic dispute which saw Shannon Ives separate from Mr Griffiths. A few weeks later, Shannon Ives also moved family's own CCTV was played during the trial showing Ethan's grandfather repeatedly carrying the little boy by one arm in a manner which the prosecution said was like "a bag of rubbish".He was also seen to apparently encourage another child to strike Ethan, who was regularly made to stand in stress positions and keep his hands above his head as a form of punishment. Describing watching the images in court, Mr Griffiths said it was the "worst thing" he had ever seen a person do to a child."My stomach turns just thinking about the way he carried him over and over again. I know it would have hurt a lot," he added: "I don't think you'd even see this in prisoners of war. I really don't think you would."It's very, very disturbing to think that these are people that were supposed to love him."And they've shown everything but love to him."The prosecutor said Ethan's fatal brain injury on 14 August must have been caused by a "forceful attack".His grandparents claimed he simply "collapsed" while watching TV at their home. The following day, Mr Griffiths was phoned by his ex-partner Shannon Ives to say Ethan had fallen and was in said on the way to hospital he picked up a get well soon card, thinking Ethan had had a "little fall" and was going to be he walked into the hospital room Mr Griffiths said he did not recognise his son, who he had not seen for 10 weeks."I couldn't believe it was my son. It didn't look like Ethan," he said."He was completely different from head to toe. There was no weight there. There was nothing of him… completely covered in bruises."It was a sight of horror." The following day Mr Griffiths was called to hospital with members of his family and a decision was made to remove Ethan's life support, after doctors said there was nothing more they could do."The decision is by far the hardest thing I've ever decided on, and still to this day and to the day I die, I will regret making that decision," he said."I still see the image in my head. I still have the exact time in my head like it was yesterday."I got the chance to hold him while he took his final breath. At least he knew in his final moment somebody he loved was actually holding him." The six-week trial heard there was social services involvement with Shannon Ives and Mr Griffiths, and their had been an allegation of domestic abuse against Mr Griffiths, and he was also accused of being aggressive towards a social worker on 9 June 2021 – which led to him being arrested and his family moving out, eventually ending up with Michael and Kerry allegations were also made, including that he abused Shannon Ives, and had physically thrown Ethan. He denies all the allegations heard in court and no further action was taken after his asked why, if all the allegations were untrue, his partner and children left, he replied: "Her family like to get into her head."He said they would "make up all kinds of stuff to make sure I don't get to see my children" but that he had always maintained his Griffiths said his relationship with Michael Ives was "sour from day one", when he first got together with Shannon Ives, aged 18. The couple went on to have three children Griffiths said Ethan was a "beautiful little boy" who had the "biggest of smiles"."He was a very, very loving boy and he was always wanting to do something. We said he had ants in his pants. He was always wanting to be running around and jumping around playing."Like any child would. He was just full of life, absolutely full of life."He described Ethan as "sassy" and "boisterous" and that he loved nothing more than a cuddle."Ethan was in his best element with his wellies on in the garden, no matter the weather," he Griffiths said one of the happiest moments of his life was when Ethan and his other children were all playing in the garden one summer."We were having a great laugh, enjoying the sunshine, soaking it all added: "We were just so happy."It was the first summer we'd all had together."We had no distractions, no-one else. It was just me and my children. That was all." 'The evilest people on Earth' Michael and Kerry Ives and their daughter Shannon Ives are all due to be sentenced on 3 Griffiths said he thought Michael and Kerry Ives were "arguably, the evilest people on Earth"."They are vile and disgusting, evil pieces of trash."They don't deserve to still be able to breathe our air while my son doesn't get to."It's a very horrible thing that they still get life, whereas my son doesn't."He said he hoped they would spend the rest of their lives in prison."I don't think any punishment could make up for what they've done".He said when it came to Ethan's mum Shannon Ives he felt a "lot of disappointment"."I would say I'm angry, but it's gone past that. It's gone past anger with her, and I'm just disgusted and disappointed in everything she's done and said and shown."Mr Griffiths said he blamed himself for "not just turning up to their house" as he now believes he would have been able bring attention to what was going on."I do blame myself for quite a lot of nothing happening," he a statement, Flintshire council said it was "inconceivable that his young life was taken by those who should have protected him".The council said it was co-operating with an independent child practice review by the North Wales Safeguarding Board."In line with agreed practice the North Wales Safeguarding Board has appointed a panel to review the involvement of agencies," it said."The independent reviewers will produce a report identifying their findings and recommendations. The report will be presented to the safeguarding board for scrutiny and assurance."
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- News.com.au
Hard-to-watch video shows 2yo being abused days before he was murdered by grandparents
Warning: Distressing A series of shocking videos show the disturbing moment a grandad is seen hauling his two-year-old grandson through the backyard and bundling him into a car – just days before the little boy's heartbreaking death. Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, were found guilty of murder at Mold Crown Court after their grandson, Ethan Ives-Griffiths, collapsed at their home. Ethan was dangerously dehydrated and severely underweight while staying with his grandparents. After collapsing on the evening of August 14, 2021, he was rushed to hospital where doctors discovered Ethan had recently sustained a 'catastrophic' head injury. The young boy tragically died two days later in hospital. After a month-long court case, during which grandfather Michael admitted in court to being 'cruel and neglectful to the toddler', the pair have both been convicted of the boy's horrific death, The Sun reports. Ethan's mother Shannon Ives was also convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child and child cruelty after the jury determined she did nothing to prevent her Ethan's suffering. Harrowing video footage, collected over a period of weeks, was played in court that showed Michael aggressively dragging his grandson around the backyard by the upper arm at the home in Garden City, Wales. Michael can also be seen shoving the underweight toddler into the back seat of a car and appears to strike the tot in one clip, filmed on August 12, 2021, while Ethan's grandmother watches on. The court heard two-year-old Ethan was made to stand with his hands on his head as a cruel punishment when he misbehaved. Shannon, 28, had been staying with her son at her parents' home after fleeing domestic abuse, with the court hearing how the toddler was 'targeted for abuse and subjected to casual cruelty'. An upsetting video from August 4 shows the underfed and dehydrated youth wandering through the garden of the property looking dazed before being grabbed by his grandad and hauled into the air. Further footage, filmed on August 4, shows Michael grabbing the youth from a trampoline in the back garden and hauling him back into the house. Ethan is once again lifted clean off the ground and violently dragged around by his abusive grandad. One video clip from the home, shot on August 12, shows the tragic tot being shoved through the garden gate by his grandad as his grandmother stares at her phone, uncaring of the abuse her grandson is suffering. Ethan is then bundled into a waiting car and disappears from view but grandad Michael can be seen and appears to wrestle with Ethan on the back seat. Michael then makes several violent, sudden motions with his arm which look to be blows aimed at the weak two-year-old. Another clip seen in court showed Michael lifting the toddler clean off the ground after violently gripping the youth's upper arm. Shannon's parents accused her of hitting her son, with Michael Ives telling the jury his daughter was 'quick-tempered' and would slap Ethan a couple of times a day. Shannon told the court her parents were 'horrible' and abused her as a child, The Sun reported. Young Ethan was described as 'painfully thin' and had 40 injuries on his body when he was examined by doctors. Michael and Kerry were in the living room with Ethan when he collapsed, but it took 18 minutes for emergency services to be called after the tot fainted. It was Ethan's grandmother who eventually made the call for help. Michael Ives denied he or his wife Kerry inflicted a severe head injury on Ethan before he collapsed at their home. But following the little boy's death, the grandfather accepted in court that he neglected Ethan and that the way he carried him, by his upper arm, was cruel. He denied mistreating the toddler in other ways. Jurors were visibly upset at points during the gruelling five-and-a-half week trial after watching extensive footage of the abuse Ethan suffered. The court heard Ethan had been placed on the child protection register, requiring him to be seen every 10 days. When Shannon last saw her social worker, on August 5, she spoke to him on the doorstep and told him Ethan was having a nap. No-one answered the door when social worker Michael Cornish went to visit in the days before Ethan's death. Caroline Rees KC, prosecuting, described the way Michael carried Ethan around the home and garden 'as though Ethan was just a bag of rubbish to be slung out'. Doctors found abdominal injuries on Ethan's body which are believed to have been inflicted on the tot in the days before his death. The tragic tot was also found with other injuries including bruises which were consistent with grip marks on his leg and face. Experts said Ethan would have died of dehydration within days if he didn't suffer the head injury. At the time of his death the tot weighed just 10kg. Detective Superintendent Chris Bell said Ethan was singled out and 'casually and brutally assaulted'. He said: 'It is beyond comprehension how anybody could treat a human being like that, let alone a defenceless two-year-old who you should be caring for.' The jury deliberated for six hours and 54 minutes before returning their verdicts on Tuesday morning. Mr Justice Griffiths said Michael Ives and Kerry Ives would be given life sentences while Shannon Ives faced a 'substantial prison sentence'. The defendants will be sentenced on October 3. An estimated 2.7 million Australians aged 18 years and over, around one in seven, have experienced childhood abuse, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Research shows most people who experienced childhood abuse knew the perpetrator with people who witnessed parental violence during childhood found to be more than twice as likely to experience partner violence as an adult (25 per cent) compared with those who did not witness parental violence during childhood (9.3 per cent).
Leader Live
15-07-2025
- Leader Live
NSPCC comment on Ethan Ives-Griffiths murder trial verdict
Michael Ives, 47 and Kerry Ives, 46, both of Kingsley Road, Garden City, Deeside, have today (July 15) been convicted of murdering two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths. Ethan's mother, Shannon Ives, 28, of Nant Garmon, Mold was convicted of causing or allowing his death. All three were all found guilty of cruelty to a child. A trial has taken place over six weeks at Mold Crown Court following the toddler's death in August 2021. Shannon Ives, Michael Ives and Kerry Ives (Image: North Wales Police) The jury deliberated for almost seven hours before returning a unanimous verdict. Following the guilty verdict returned by the jury, North Wales Police and Ethan's father spoke outside of court. Now, the children's charity has said "no stone must be left unturned" in establishing whether more could've been done to save Ethan. Carl Harris, Assistant Director at NSPCC Cymru, said: 'As grandparents to Ethan, Michael and Kerry Ives should have been there to love and protect him. "Instead, they subjected the little boy to an appalling campaign of neglect and abuse leading up to the brutal final attack which killed him. RELATED READING: 'While this was happening, Shannon Ives did not shield her son from her parents and take him out of harm's way. She also treated him cruelly herself. 'The Child Practice Review must leave no stone unturned in establishing whether more could have been done by professionals to protect Ethan, and any recommendations must be fully taken onboard to help safeguard children in the future.' 'We can all look out for children's welfare, and anyone concerned about a child can call the NSPCC free helpline on 0808 800 5000, or email help@ If a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.'
