A former Millwall football star has been convicted of child cruelty after inflicting 17 injuries on a two-year-old girl which left her now needing 24-hour care.
The injuries inflicted by Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 32, were so serious that his victim was put into a coma after the attack in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex in 2020 - with doctors describing them as 'equivalent to a high-speed crash'.
Police who began investigating him over the attack found text messages in which he told a friend 'She's actually getting on my nerves' and 'I'm gonna hit her'.
Hughes-Mason previously played youth football for Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur before appearing twice for Millwall's first team in 2009 and 2010.
He has now been convicted of child cruelty and grievous bodily harm and is due to be sentenced on September 10 at Basildon Crown Court.
Former Millwall footballer Kiernan Hughes-Mason (pictured playing for Welling United in in 2013) has been found guilty of child cruelty and GBH after attacking a two-year-old girl
Kiernan Hughes-Mason is due to be sentenced on September 10 at Basildon Crown Court
Some of his former clubs this week condemned his 'shocking' and 'sickening' crimes, with non-league Enfield Borough FC sacking him as manager.
His trial heard how Hughes-Mason called 999 and asked for an ambulance on January 31 in 2020 when he was supposed to be taking care of his ex-partner's daughter.
After paramedics arrived, he initially claimed he had been downstairs when he heard a loud noise from upstairs and believed that the young girl had fallen on a doll's house.
The girl was placed in an induced coma and doctors discovered 17 different injuries to her legs, back, face and chest.
It is believed that these injuries were all sustained between October 2019 and January 2020. Hughes-Mason was arrested on February 14 2020.
The prosecution barrister said in their closing speeches: '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.
'In respect of the head and brain injury that the child suffered… the experts all agree that the pattern of injuries found is consistent with the child having been vigorously shaken, with her head likely being hit against a hard surface.
The injuries inflicted by Kiernan Hughes-Mason (pictured during his time with New Zealand club Tasman United where he played in 2018 and 2019) were so serious that his two-year-old victim was put into a coma after the attack in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex in 2020
Hughes-Mason appeared twice for Millwall's first team in 2009 and 2010 before moving on to a series of non-league sides in England and in New Zealand
'The only explanation for the pattern of injuries suffered by the child was that they were inflicted by this defendant and inflicted deliberately.'
In a statement after he was found guilty, the victim's family said: 'We finally have a verdict and that man is now held accountable for what he did to our little girl.
'We have had to go through what no family should ever have to experience, and our girl is going to bear the consequences of what he has done to her for the rest of her life'.
Detective Sergeant Ellie Nudd, of Essex Police's Child Abuse Investigation Team, said after the verdict: 'Hughes-Mason refused to admit what he had done and subject the family of this little girl to weeks of details of the injuries he allowed or inflicted.
'Her family have attended court and have shown nothing but dignity and strength. I cannot commend their conduct throughout this trial highly enough while they live the impact of his actions.
'I’d also like to thank all the officers across the Child abuse Investigation Team who was involved in this case, this was a challenging and complex investigation with multiple officers and detectives working tirelessly over the last four years to make sure this case was as strong as possible.
'This conviction is important. Hughes-Mason denied responsibility for all of the child’s injuries, pointing the finger at others or blaming them on accidents. This little girl will never recover from the injuries she sustained from this violent attack.
'The doctor’s were clear about the extent of the injuries – they were equivalent to a high-speed crash, and would have to be the result of a violent assault.'
After leaving Millwall, Hughes-Mason played non-league football for a series of clubs, including Grimsby, Welling, Kettering, Maidstone, Leatherhead, Grays and Barking.
Hughes-Mason has been condemned after his conviction by some of his former clubs including Hashtag United in Essex for whom he played (pictured) from 2020 to 2022
He began his managerial career last year with Tower Hamlets and was managing Enfield Borough before being sacked following Wednesday's conviction.
A statement issued by club chairman Marvin Walker yesterday evening read: 'Effective immediately, Enfield Borough FC has decided to relieve Kiernan Mason-Hughes from his duties as manager.
'This decision comes in light of recent revelations regarding serious legal matters from Mr. Mason-Hughes' past, which were not disclosed during the hiring process.
'Enfield Borough FC is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability, and we believe that this action is necessary to uphold these values.
'We appreciate the understanding and continued support of our fans and community during this time. No further statement will be made.'
Semi-professional Essex side Hashtag United - where Hughes-Mason played and coached between 2020 and 2022 - also issued a statement on Wednesday night.
It read: 'This evening the club has been made aware of some deeply shocking news regarding one of our former players and reserve team manager, Kiernan Hughes-Mason, who has been found guilty of crimes that are frankly sickening.
'Firstly, everyone associated with the club would like to offer our deepest sympathy to the victim and their family. We can't possibly imagine what they have been going through since these horrific events took place.
'We can categorically say that the club had no knowledge whatsoever of these events until today.
This club statement was issued by Enfield Borough FC after Hughes-Mason was convicted
Hashtag United also issued a club statement following news of Hughes-Mason's conviction
'We are told that the crimes he has now been found guilty of occurred before he joined us.
'Some serious flaws have been exposed in procedures as we'd received confirmation from the relevant authorities that he was clear to coach as part of standard background checks.
'Our club has an absolute zero tolerance policy on behaviour even closely relating to this. Our values are centered around positivity, inclusivity and above all else, creating a safe place for all.
'We reiterate our heartfelt sympathy for what the victim and their family have had to go through and would like to remind anyone reading this of some resources that are available should you need them: Childline: 0800 1111, National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247'.
