Man accused of grandson's murder carried him 'like a rag doll,' court told

A MAN charged with murdering his two-year-old grandson has told a court he had "no excuse" for holding the toddler "like a rag doll".

- By GEORGE THOMPSON

Michael Ives, 47, and his wife, Kerry Ives, 46, are accused of fatally injuring Ethan Ives-Griffiths when he lived with them at their home in Garden City, Flintshire, before his death on August 16, 2021.

The couple blame their daughter, Ethan’s mother, Shannon Ives, 28, for the two-year-old’s death, Mold Crown Court has heard.

Yesterday, Michael Ives was shown CCTV from the back garden of the house of him carrying the two-year-old by his upper arm on August 4 that year.

He said that after picking him up from a trampoline, he held him up to avoid nettles in the back garden.

Gordon Cole KC, defending Shannon Ives, asked him: “You held him like a rag doll, didn’t you?”

Michael Ives replied: “Yeah.”

Asked why he had carried him in that way, he said: “No reason.”

He added: “There’s no excuse, I know.”

When Mr Cole asked if he had liked his grandson, Michael Ives replied: “Yes, obviously.”