Michael Ives, 47, had allegedly told his daughter Shannon that her two-year-old son Ethan Ives-Griffiths “needs to be disciplined” before his tragic death on August 16, 2021 in Deesside, Wales
A granddad tortured his grandson to death after forcing the two-year-old tot to put his hands on his head for hours because he needed “to be disciplined”, a court has heard.
Little Ethan Ives-Griffiths had collapsed at his grandparents home in Garden City, Wales just two days before his death on August 16, 2021.
Both of his grandparents, Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, are in court charged with his murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and child cruelty – charges which they both deny.
The tot’s mother, Shannon Ives, 28, denies causing or allowing the death of a child, and child cruelty.
After his death, police questioned Shannon on whether she believed the alleged treatment of her son was murder – which she agreed it was. She said her dad told her Ethan “needs to be disciplined”, to which she exclaimed: “He’s two!”.
He is also alleged to have texted another daughter a month before the child’s death, saying: “Ethan needs to learn the hard way”.
After collapsing at his grandparents home the following month, Ethan was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital then transferred to Alder Hey children’s hospital on Merseyside where he died on August 16, 2021.
On Day 14 of the trial transcripts of police interviews were read out to the jury of seven women and five men at Mold Crown Court. In one exchange detectives asked Shannon whether making Ethan put his hands on his head is torture.
Shannon replied: “Yeah, it is.” The police asked why she didn’t report it. She said: “Because I’m scared of my dad.”
Shannon said her dad Michael would make Ethan stand with his legs open and his hands on his head “for one or two hours”. But she agreed she hadn’t seen that process herself for the whole two hours.
She said if Ethan put his hands down her dad would tell him to put his hands back up again on his head. She said: “My dad said ‘He just needs to learn…he needs to be disciplined’. I said ‘He’s two!'”
Shannon said after Ethan alone went to stay with his grandparents in June 2021 he lost weight. He went from being “chunky to skinny” in three to four weeks, she claimed.
She said clothes were “massive” on him and she had to buy clothing for toddlers aged 18 to 24 months because clothes for “two to three-year-olds were too big”.
Shannon said she asked her parents: “How has he lost so much weight?” and claimed they said he had “three or four meals a day”.
Shannon also told police she didn’t tell a social worker about her concerns over Ethan because she was “scared” of her dad Michael “going mental”. She said she believes “mainly my dad” was responsible for Ethan’s injuries.
And Shannon, who claims Universal Credit and Child Benefit, suggested her parents used her for financial gain. “They act like they care but they don’t. They just want me there for my money – to use me. They’re not family. They don’t act like family.”
The jury heard that Michael claimed when Shannon joined Ethan at his house Ethan’s behaviour worsened. Ethan would “ram” food into his mouth and “choke”, he said.
He also said he was never rough with Ethan. He said Ethan would stand and laugh at Shannon which would “make her blood boil”. She once said “You need to f*** off in care, you little bastard,” claimed Michael.
This afternoon the jury heard Michael Ives’ police interviews. He said he felt “disgusted with himself” that he carried Ethan into his car by one arm in August 2021 as it was a “horrible” thing to do.
He said he felt “sick” that he did it again carrying him from a trampoline that same month. He admitted being present when Ethan collapsed at home in Garden City on August 13 and August 14.
But when a detective asked him “How is it that little boy has been killed in your house?” he replied “I don’t know…. 100% on my life I’ve never touched him.”
The trial continues.