Brendon Williams Wales
Family photoEthan Ives-Griffiths was just two years old when he was beaten, starved and then murdered behind closed doors by two people who were meant to love and care for him.
Now, as his grandparents and mum begin lengthy prison sentences for their roles in his death, detectives and investigators have spoken about the brutality of the case and the effect it had on everyone involved.
Court evidence about the nature of the abuse and suffering Ethan was subjected to was so harrowing that the judge excused the jurors from ever having to serve on a jury again.
Nicola Rees, a prosecutor with more than 30 years’ experience, said: “The level of injury and the level of cruelty is probably some of the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Lead investigator Det Con Lee Harshey-Jones added: “All of us involved in this investigation… will always find it difficult to think about. We’ve all had to suffer.”
Ethan was murdered by his grandparents Michael and Kerry Ives at their home in Garden City, Flintshire, in August 2021 after being subjected to a catalogue of abuse that left him emaciated and covered in bruises.
His mother, Shannon Ives, was convicted of causing or allowing his death and child cruelty.
On Friday, the grandparents were handed life sentences, with minimum terms of 23 years for Michael Ives and 17 years for his wife Kerry.
Shannon Ives received a 12-year sentence, of which she will serve two-thirds in prison before being released on licence.
- This article contains details of violence and abuse that some may find disturbing.
Ethan moved in with his grandparents, along with his siblings and mother, after Shannon Ives split from Ethan’s dad Will Griffiths in June 2021.
Just seven weeks later, he was dead.
He collapsed after suffering a catastrophic brain injury inflicted by one, or both, of his grandparents.
In less than two months, the couple had allowed this young boy to become severely malnourished and dehydrated and, following his death, it was discovered he had suffered more than 40 separate injuries to his body.
Social workers and health visitors were sometimes refused access to Ethan, who was on the child protection register and should have been seen every 10 days.
He was last seen by a social worker on 22 July 2021 and was dead by 16 August.
Attempts to see him were sometimes met with excuses and, on one visit just 11 days before he died, a social worker stayed on the doorstep for 45 minutes because of Covid restrictions.
He did not see Ethan because Shannon Ives said her son was napping.
There was no answer when the social worker and a health visitor attempted to visit on 12 August, and no response when they called the next day.
Family photo
North Wales PoliceDet Con Harshey-Jones of North Wales Police helped watch about 1,000 hours of CCTV footage from outside the Ives’ home.
“I think about how it could’ve been different if those who should have been caring for him had cared for him,” he says.
A breakthrough moment came when officers reviewed camera footage from 4 August, showing Michael Ives carrying his grandson by one arm across the garden.
“It gave us a real insight, particularly [into] Michael Ives, how he was willing and happy to treat Ethan,” he said.
“I remember sitting there, watching it for the first time, and being shocked and appalled by what I saw.
“It was a huge moment for the investigation.”
But more harrowing footage was to come.
North Wales PoliceOther video evidence showed Ethan being forced to keep his hands on his head in “stress positions” and Michael Ives apparently encouraging another child to hit Ethan on the head.
They are images Det Con Harshey-Jones struggles to forget.
“I think about how it could’ve been different if those who should have been caring for him had cared for him,” he said.
“Clearly all of us involved in this investigation… all of us will always find it difficult to think about. We’ve all had to suffer, investigating this.”
He said hearing the guilty verdicts, coming after “four years of suffering” was “difficult to remember because it’s so emotional”.
Wiping back tears, he added: “It’ll never bring him back, but it will hopefully give us all some closure and we can be proud of that.”
Det Supt Chris Bell, the senior investigating officer, described it as “the most emotionally-challenging case I’ve ever been on”.
As more disturbing footage and evidence of Ethan’s injuries emerged, he knew his team needed support and a welfare strategy was put in place for all involved.
“We’re not machines. We are humans, we are parents, we do live in the community. This one was different,” he said.
“People may be forgiven for thinking that we don’t take it home, but we do. It’s impossible to close the door.”
While North Wales Police investigated the case, the decision to prosecute was made by the Crown Prosecution Service, meaning Nicola Rees had to watch the CCTV too.
“It stays with you, because it is so difficult to watch. You know that within a few days that child is dead because of injuries inflicted on them.
“And whilst Michael’s doing this, the other defendants – the mother of this two-year-old and his wife – are just not doing anything… not stepping in, not stopping this from happening.
“It’s shocking, even after all these years in this job.”
While watching the cruelty unfold outside the house, where neighbours or passers-by could have easily seen, it left her dreading what horrors were happening behind closed doors.
“What on earth more was going on inside the house? I think that’s what played on my mind.”
During the trial in June, specialist prosecutor Ms Rees said experienced medical professionals were reduced to tears while giving evidence “because they’ve never seen anything like it”.
Summing up the case at the sentencing on Friday, the judge Mr Justice Griffiths said it was a “horrifying escalation of cruelty”.
He added: “All the hopes and promise of the life he should have had were taken from him.”
Additional reporting by Catriona Aitken