A jury at Mold Crown Court on 15 July convicted Michael Ives, 47, and his wife Kerry, 46, of murdering their two-year-old grandson, Ethan Ives-Griffiths. The couple were also found guilty of child cruelty after a four-week trial that examined the boy’s treatment at their Garden City, Flintshire, home in August 2021. Prosecutors showed 1,100 hours of CCTV footage in which Michael Ives dragged the toddler by one arm, hosed him with water and encouraged other children to hit him. When Ethan collapsed on 14 August 2021 he was dangerously dehydrated, weighed just 10 kg and had about 40 visible bruises or marks in addition to a catastrophic head injury. He died two days later at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. Ethan’s mother, 28-year-old Shannon Ives, who was living at the property, was convicted of causing or allowing his death and of child cruelty. Mr Justice Griffiths told the court the grandparents will receive life sentences and said the mother faces a “substantial” term. All three will be sentenced on 3 October.