Ex-footballer Kiernan Hughes-Mason violently assaulted former partner's two-year-old daughter
22 August 2024, 20:55
A former professional footballer has been convicted of violently assaulting a two-year-old girl, giving her "life-changing" injuries that need 24-hour care.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
32-year-old Kiernan Hughes-Mason was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and child cruelty after his ex-partner's daughter was found with serious injuries at an address in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, in January 2020.
During the trial, the prosecution barrister said one doctor said the child's injuries were akin to a "high-speed road traffic accident" or a "fall from a substantial height of several storeys".
Hughes-Mason said he was alerted to a loud noise from the girl's bedroom, and thought she might have fallen on a dollhouse, making her conscious but unresponsive, when he was looking after her on 31 January 2020.
The child was treated at Southend Hospital but her injuries were so serious she was put in an induced coma, and then underwent further treatment at Great Ormond Hospital.
Medics discovered 17 different injuries to her face, chest, back and legs, which are thought to have been obtained from October 2019 to January 2020.
She stayed in a coma for 14 days and experienced life-changing brain injuries.
Hughes-Mason, who was 28 at the time of the attack, was arrested on 14 February 2020.
Investigators uncovered text messages he had sent in the days leading up to the assault, which spoke of his anger at looking after his partner's daughter.
He said: "She's actually getting on my nerves" and "I'm gonna hit her".
Following a three-week trial, Hughes-Mason was found guilty of both charges following five hours of deliberation by the jury.
The family of the victim said after the conviction: "We finally have a verdict and that man is now held accountable for what he did to our little girl.
"We have had to go through what no family should ever have to experience, and our girl is going to bear the consequences of what he has done to her for the rest of her life."
During the trial, the prosecution said Hughes-Mason was "keen from the outset to portray himself to the police as the doting stepfather who treated the children as his own, saying how much he loved them."
However, in his text messages, he frequently referred to them as "your children" or "your child" to the child's mother.
The prosecution barrister added: "He regularly belittled them, talked about them as if they were stupid and put them down.
"In respect of the head and brain injury that the child suffered… the experts all agree that the pattern of injuries found is consistent with the child having been vigorously shaken… with her head likely being hit against a hard surface.
"The only explanation for the pattern of injuries suffered by the child was that they were inflicted by this defendant and inflicted deliberately."
Hughes-Mason began his career at Championship sides Millwall and Grimsby Town, before going on to play for multiple English Football League and non-league clubs, including Welling United, Hashtag United and Leatherhead.
Enfield Borough FC chairman Marvin Walker said: “Our club was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Kiernan Hughes-Mason's conviction for child cruelty.
“We had no prior knowledge of the pending case, which dates back to 2020. Upon discovering the news through media outlets yesterday, we immediately removed Kiernan from his position as first team manager.
“We unequivocally condemn this behaviour and stand firmly against any form of abuse or cruelty. Our thoughts are with the victim and her family during this incredibly difficult time."
Hughes-Mason is due to be sentenced on 10 September at Basildon Crown Court.
