Police reveal shocking messages ex-EFL footballer sent before 'sickening' attack on toddler

Essex Police has revealed that it found several messages on the phone of Kiernan Hughes-Mason during their investigation into charges of grevious bodily harm and child cruelty made against the former footballer.

Hughes-Mason, 32, was found guilty on both counts after a three-week trial at Basildon Crown Court.

The jury found him guilty after a five-hour deliberation on August 21.

The conviction relates to an attack at an address in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, in January 2020.

Hughes-Mason was found to have beaten a two-year-old girl and left her with injuries that doctors described as similar to those inflicted by a 'high-speed road traffic accident' or 'fall from a substantial height of several storeys'.

He left the young child with life-changing brain injuries, and the court learned that she now needs 24-hour care.

Hughes-Mason had been responsible for the young girl when the incident occurred, and he called paramedics before initially claiming she had suffered a fall.

After she was taken to hospital, doctors found 17 different injuries to her legs, back, face and chest which are believed to have been inflicted between October 2019 and January 2020.

In the closing speech, the case's prosecution barrister told the court that experts were in agreement over the girl's injuries, stating that the pattern found 'is consistent with the child having been vigorously shaken... with her head likely being hit against a hard surface'.

Hughes-Mason is a former footballer who spent time in Arsenal's academy before signing professional terms with Millwall.

He played for 18 clubs between 2010 and 2020 - most of them in non-league - before joining Hashtag United as a player and reserves manager in 2020.

After his conviction was announced, Hashtag released a statement in which they condemned the 'frankly sickening' crimes that their former player had been found guilty of, and added that they had no knowledge of any proceedings involving the player while he was working with the club. He left Hashtag in 2022.

OFFICIAL CLUB STATEMENT. pic.twitter.com/HfoeZ7GcK7

— Hashtag United (@hashtagutd) August 21, 2024

In a statement, Essex Police revealed a selection of messages sent by Hughes-Mason's phone to others in the days before his attack on the two-year-old girl, who is the daughter of his ex-partner.

The statement reads: "In the days leading up to the incident, Hughes-Mason sent multiple messages to others stating how angry caring for his partner's two-year-old daughter made him, saying 'she's actually getting on my nerves', and 'I'm gonna hit her'."

The prosecution barrister also made reference to text messages sent by the 32-year-old in their closing speech: "The experts are all unanimously of the view that the child's devastating head and brain injuries could not have been caused accidentally while she was alone in her room.

"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.

"Yet in his text messages written at the time, he constantly referred to them as 'your children', or 'your child' to the child's mother. He regularly belittled them, talked about them as if they were stupid and put them down."

Hughes-Mason will be sentenced on September 10.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article or would like some support or advice, there are a number of helplines available to support you. Childline offer a free-to-call helpline on 0800 1111, while you can also start a 1-2-1 with a counsellor via their official website.

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, meanwhile, can be called on 0808 2000 247.