Trial date set for grandparents charged with murder of toddler

The grandparents of a two-year-old boy from Flintshire will go on trial in November charged with his murder.

Michael Ives, 46, and Kerry Ives, 45, of Garden City, Deeside, are accused of murdering their grandson Ethan Ives Griffiths in August 2021.

They appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday via video link from HMP Berwyn and HMP Styal prison

A trial date was set for November.

The charges against the couple are the murder of a victim one year of age or older; causing the assault, ill-treatment or abandonment of a child to cause unnecessary suffering/injury and causing or allowing a child to suffer serious harm.

They entered no formal plea and were both remanded in custody pending a plea and trial preparation hearing on 17 May.

A third person, Shannon Kayleigh Ives, 27, of Mold has also been charged with causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm and causing the assault, ill-treatment or abandonment of a child to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

She has been bailed and will appear in court in April.

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