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A couple who murdered their two-year-old grandson have been jailed for life.

Michael Ives, 47, and Kerry Ives, 46, were found guilty of his murder and cruelty to a child in July after a trial at Mold Crown Court.

They were jailed for minimum terms of 23 years and 17 years respectively.

Their grandson Ethan Ives-Griffiths was dangerously dehydrated, severely underweight and had 40 visible bruises or marks when he collapsed with a catastrophic head injury at his grandparents’ home in Flintshire, North Wales, on 14 August 2021.

Kerry and Michael Ives were found guilty of Ethan's murder. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
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Kerry and Michael Ives were found guilty of Ethan’s murder. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives, 28, who had been staying with her son at her parents’ home, was found guilty of causing or allowing his death and child cruelty.

Ethan's mother Shannon Ives. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
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Ethan’s mother Shannon Ives. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

The court heard Ethan was made to stand with his hands on his head as a punishment when he misbehaved.

CCTV footage shown to jurors during the trial showed Michael Ives carrying his grandson by the top of his arm in a way described by prosecutor Caroline Rees KC “as though Ethan was just a bag of rubbish to be slung out”.

The video, taken from the back garden of the family’s four-bedroom home, showed Ethan appearing unsteady on a trampoline, or lying down, while other children bounced.

Michael Ives carrying Ethan outside the family home in Garden City, Deeside, Flintshire. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
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Michael Ives carrying Ethan outside the family home in Garden City, Deeside, Flintshire. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

Michael Ives carrying Ethan in the back garden. Pic: North Wales Police
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Michael Ives carrying Ethan in the back garden. Pic: North Wales Police

Michael Ives was seen to point a garden hose at him, placed the toddler’s hands on his head, and gestured to another child to punch him.

After watching the video in court, Michael Ives said he felt “ashamed” and admitted being cruel and neglectful but denied mistreating Ethan in other ways.

He said his daughter was “quick-tempered” and would slap Ethan a couple of times a day, but Shannon Ives claimed her parents were “horrible” and abused her as a child.

Ethan Ives-Griffiths. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
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Ethan Ives-Griffiths. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

Michael and Kerry Ives, originally from Wolverhampton, were in the living room with Ethan at the time of his collapse while his mother was on the phone upstairs.

The pair told the jury “nothing” had happened to the toddler before he fainted as they watched television.

Kerry Ives said she immediately called her daughter to come downstairs, but the court heard it was 18 minutes before she called emergency services.

Ethan was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital and later transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where he died two days later.

Michael Ives being interviewed by police officers. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
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Michael Ives being interviewed by police officers. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

Kerry Ives being interviewed by police officers. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
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Kerry Ives being interviewed by police officers. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

He was found to have abdominal injuries likely to have been caused by blows in the days before his collapse, as well as bruises consistent with grip marks on his leg and face.

Experts said Ethan would have died of dehydration within days had he not suffered the head injury, and at the time of his death weighed just 10kg.

Ethan’s fatal head injury was said to have been caused by deliberate force or shaking, and occurred at the time, or in the minutes before, he collapsed.

Ethan with his father Will Griffiths. Pic: North Wales Police/PA
Image:
Ethan with his father Will Griffiths. Pic: North Wales Police/PA

Following the verdicts, Ethan’s father Will Griffiths said: “He will be remembered for the smiley, outgoing, loving child that he was. He can now rest in peace, knowing that justice has been served.”

Child protection register

The court heard the youngster had been placed on the child protection register, requiring him to be seen every 10 days.

But when Shannon Ives last saw her social worker, on 5 August 2021, 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 and a scheduled appointment with a health visitor on 13 August was cancelled.

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Brother of Virginia Giuffre praises King over Andrew decision – and urges him to pressure Trump over Epstein files

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Brother of Virginia Giuffre praises King over Andrew decision - and urges him to pressure Trump over Epstein files

The brother of Virginia Giuffre has praised the King’s decision to strip his brother Andrew of his titles – and has called on him to pressure Donald Trump into releasing the Epstein files.

Speaking to Gareth Barlow on Sky News, Sky Roberts said the King had “set a precedent to the rest of the world” that he was standing with survivors of abuse.

“But it’s not enough. He’s [Andrew] is still walking around a free man. He’s not going to be living on the side of the road. He should be investigated,” he said.

Mr Roberts also accused the US government of “safeguarding documents of people that are implicated” with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

“We need to fully investigate them. He should tell President Trump ‘put your big boy pants on’, and let’s get these Epstein files released so that we can go after these monsters properly.”

Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, claimed that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell.

Andrew has always denied Ms Giuffre’s allegations. Ms Giuffre sued in 2021, and the case was settled outside court for a sum believed to have been around £12m.

Andrew latest: Follow updates after royal stripped of his titles

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‘Huge’ part of royal statement you might have missed

In a previous statement, issued on Thursday after the announcement that Andrew will be stripped of his royal titles, the family said Ms Giuffre “never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her”.

“An ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage,” the family said, adding, “she declares victory”.

The family vowed to continue fighting until “all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell” are brought to justice.

The disgraced royal will now be treated as a commoner and go by the name Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

‘Virginia should be here celebrating’

Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Roberts said the family has felt “a mixed bag of emotions” since the palace’s latest announcement.

“[Virginia] should be sitting on this camera with you right now celebrating this but also demanding more justice,” he said.

“I think it’s a mixed bag of emotions over the last 24 hours but we are just hell bent to not let her voice die.”

Virginia Giuffre in 2019. File pic: AP
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Virginia Giuffre in 2019. File pic: AP

Mr Roberts added he would welcome a meeting with the King and “love the opportunity to tell my sister’s story to the palace”.

“If the King is saying he stands with survivors out there and if the King is saying he stands with survivors and their victims, then meet with us, have a conversation with us,” he said.

“We’re real people with real stories that can affect real change and I think my sister did something unprecedented that says advocacy can affect change, advocacy can lead to justice.”

Andrew no longer Duke of York

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been removed from the official roll of the peerage, representing a significant step in the formal revocation of his titles.

Buckingham Palace confirmed that his name was struck from the roll after the King decided to strip his brother of the Prince and Duke of York titles and the HRH style, effectively ending his public role.

Andrew has been stripped from his titles. Pic: PA
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Andrew has been stripped from his titles. Pic: PA

Dukes, including the Duke of York, are recorded on the roll of the peerage, which is maintained by the Crown Office under the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor, David Lammy.

As justice secretary, Mr Lammy was set to receive royal warrants from the King to remove the Duke from the roll, along with his Prince title and HRH style.

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The King’s hand was forced by public opinion as he sends his brother to ‘life in exile’

Andrew to leave Royal Lodge in Windsor

In addition to losing his royal titles, Andrew has been ordered to leave Royal Lodge – a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park where he lived for more than 20 years.

Royal Lodge
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Royal Lodge

Andrew will now be moving to a property on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, around 100 miles north of London, which is privately owned by the King.

The estate is perhaps most famous as the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas holiday residence.

It remains unclear when Andrew will leave the property, though it is expected to be “as soon as practicable”.

Read more:
Key claims in Virginia Giuffre memoir
Why Charles could no longer ignore public opinion
Where will Andrew live next?

The view from the gardens of Sandringham House in Norfolk. Pic: iStock
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The view from the gardens of Sandringham House in Norfolk. Pic: iStock

It is understood that the King made the decision due to his brother’s significant lapses in judgement, and had the backing of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales.

Sarah Ferguson, who previously lived with her former husband Andrew at Royal Lodge, will not be provided accommodation by the King and will need to find a new residence.

Andrew’s downfall

The latest developments in the long-running controversy come amid renewed scrutiny of the King’s brother, after he tried earlier this month to address Ms Giuffre’s allegations by relinquishing his dukedom and other honours ahead of the release of her posthumous memoir.

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Prince Andrew thought ‘sex with me was his birthright’

Instead of easing scrutiny, Andrew faced mounting criticism over his property, and some MPs pushed for the issue to be debated in parliament.

He has also been the subject of damaging media reports, including allegations that he attempted to enlist the Metropolitan Police to collect information for a smear campaign against Ms Giuffre.

The King’s decision to strip his brother of his titles is likely to be seen by commentators as an effort by the royal family to distance itself from Andrew.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

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Removal of Andrew’s titles is seismic – but there is another major shift in palace’s statement

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Removal of Andrew's titles is seismic - but there is another major shift in palace's statement

The public and politicians had spoken, and the King, it seems, had no choice.

As head of the institution, family bonds took second place; the survival of the monarchy and its reputation in the end was paramount.

But while the removal of the titles, styles and honours, from the man now just known as Andrew, is seismic, there are other significant shifts in this bombshell pronouncement from the palace.

Follow latest news and reaction: Andrew no longer Duke of York

The decision to publicly state that “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse” is huge.

In all the years that the allegations have rumbled on against Andrew – accusations he denies – I have never publicly heard the royal family come out in support of the victims around this story.

Andrew himself, during his Newsnight interview, never offered any kind of sympathy or apology to Jeffrey Epstein’s wider victims.

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Can Andrew still become King?

With both Queen Camilla and the Duchess of Edinburgh working to support victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, the family’s silence has always felt difficult to fully understand.

Read more:
Why King could no longer ignore public opinion
Everything we know as Andrew loses titles

I have no doubt that pressure from other members of the family will have meant now was the right time for the King to make their position clear.

We also understand this latest action was taken to acknowledge serious lapses in judgement from Andrew.

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Andrew loses titles: What you need to know in two minutes

Again, the palace has never gone this far. In the past, they have simply tried to distance themselves from the constant drip of revelations.

While this is a King mindful of the future of the monarchy, he has also worked hard to build a reputation as an empathic and socially engaged man.

The noise around Andrew was deafening, he has listened, and as a result, his actions are monumental.

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Andrew pays the ultimate price after years of public disdain

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Andrew pays the ultimate price after years of public disdain

Andrew always denied the allegations – but the repeated accusations would not go away.

And his associations risked real reputational damage to the Royal Family.

His friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, his dealings with an alleged Chinese spy, and then the posthumous publication of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre’s memoir.

Her family said she brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.

The piling pressure was starting to overshadow the work of Andrew’s wider family. And with the Prince of Wales soon heading to Brazil for his Earthshot award, enough was enough.

We understand the Royal Family, including Prince William backed the King’s leadership on this matter.

The King made the decisions, his family supported them.

More on Jeffrey Epstein

Both Andrew, and former secretary of state Peter Mandelson's public lives have been dismantled by their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Pic: PA
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Both Andrew, and former secretary of state Peter Mandelson’s public lives have been dismantled by their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Pic: PA

Andrew will leave Royal Lodge, his large home on the Windsor estate. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who also lived there, will “make her own arrangements”.

It was their family home for many years. Both daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who grew up there, will keep their titles.

Andrew's ex-wife has continued to live at the Royal Lodge estate but will now be left to make her own housing arrangements. Pic: PA
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Andrew’s ex-wife has continued to live at the Royal Lodge estate but will now be left to make her own housing arrangements. Pic: PA

As for Andrew, he will soon move to Sandringham – the King’s private Norfolk estate – where the family traditionally gathers for Christmas; and he will be funded privately by the King.

Read more:
Andrew allegations should be examined in ‘fullest ways’

This is all a formal process carried out in consultation with official authorities, but the government supports the decision taken.

This will not have been easy for the King, but he knew he could not ignore public opinion. The criticism and anger directed at Andrew was never going to stop – and only he had the power to take the ultimate action against his own brother.

For years, Andrew enjoyed the perks and privileges of his powerful position, but his birthright could not withstand withering public disdain.

And now he’s paid the ultimate price.

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