A 14-year prison sentence has been imposed on a former Millwall footballer who severely battered a two-year-old child, causing her to suffer lifelong brain damage.
In January 2020, when the toddler was under Kiernan Hughes-Mason’s care, he attacked her with such violence that the damage was compared to “a high-speed road traffic accident” or “a fall from a substantial height of several storeys.”
The girl’s mother sobbed as she detailed her daughter’s condition, stating that she is unable to walk, crawl, or move her lower body and now needs round-the-clock care, during his sentencing at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday.
The girl’s mother testified in court that her daughter had lost her ability to lift herself, was dependent on a feeding tube, and had epilepsy. “She’s no longer the little girl who would dance around the living room,” the mother said.
“He stole the life she will never have and her future from her.”
Hughes-Mason, an Essex resident from Westcliff-on-Sea, was found guilty of intentionally causing great bodily damage and abusing children.
The former football player joined Hashtag United, a social media squad, after playing for Millwall.
Along with a stay in New Zealand, he also had stints at a number of lower-league clubs, including Leatherhead, Kettering, and Saffron Walden.
At the conclusion of the previous season, he was named manager of Enfield Borough FC; however, he was fired after his arrest.
Hughes-Mason allegedly texted friends before the attack, saying them the female had been “getting on my nerves” and he was “gonna hit her.”
Subsequently, medical professionals discovered 17 injuries on her breast, face, back, and legs that might have happened on January 31, 2020, the day of the occurrence.
After the attack, Hughes-Mason tried to call paramedics and say the girl was conscious but unresponsive and that her injuries were from falling onto a doll’s house.
She was taken to the hospital by paramedics, where she spent 14 days in an induced coma.
Huges-Mason was informed by Judge Ian Graham, who delivered the verdict, “This little girl’s life has been destroyed.”
Her skull making hard contact with a surface and being shaken violently were the causes of her injuries.
She is nearly entirely dependent on other people to provide her requirements. It is impossible for her to walk, crawl, or move any of her lower limbs.
The children’s organisation NSPCC denounced Hughes-Mason’s “brutal and cowardly attack on a defenceless toddler” following his imprisonment.
“Tragically, the two-year-old girl who was the victim of this violent assault will never recover from her injuries—her young life destroyed before it had barely begun,” a spokeswoman continued.
“It is hard to comprehend what would motivate a man to harm someone so vulnerable in such a way.”
“It is imperative that a thorough investigation into this horrific case provides comprehensive understanding of whether any action could have been taken to halt Hughes-Mason and to attempt to improve future child protection.”
Hughes-Mason lied to 999 call handlers, paramedics, police officers, and hospital staff the day of the event in an attempt to cover up his attack, according to Det Sgt Ellie Nudd of Essex Police. All that can be said about him is cowardice.
Our sympathies are primarily with the incredibly courageous child and her family, who have collaborated with us to ensure that justice was served. With Hughes-Mason incarcerated, our county has become a safer place.
She thanked the Crown Prosecution Service and the ambulance service and commended the victim’s family for their “incredible strength.”
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