Kiernan Hughes-Mason, a Westcliff paedophile professional footballer from Essex has been labelled a “violent coward” after inflicting injuries on a little girl that resembled those sustained in a high-speed collision, rendering her incapable of sitting, standing, or walking independently. Kiernan Hughes-Mason, a resident of Westcliff, was indicted for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and child abuse following the discovery of a girl with severe injuries in Westcliff-on-Sea in January 2020.
Although the victim survived her injuries, she endures persistent suffering; yet, due to the severe brain damage incurred, she is unable to articulate the location of her discomfort or her distress. Kiernan Hughes-Mason was a footballer representing various EFL and Non-League clubs, commencing his career at Millwall and most recently serving as player-manager at Enfield Borough. He also spent time at the Brentwood-based team Hashtag United, which characterised his activities as “frankly sickening.”

On January 31, 2020, Kiernan Hughes-Mason summoned paramedics after asserting he discovered the young girl conscious yet unresponsive. The East of England Ambulance Service promptly transported the kid to Southend General Hospital. Her injuries were so severe that she was placed in an induced coma and transported to Great Ormond Street Hospital for additional care.
Doctors identified 17 different injuries, and she remained in a coma for 14 days. 32-year-old Kiernan Hughes-Mason was arrested and later charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and child abuse, and child cruelty in November 2022. He denied the charges against him but was found unanimously guilty on August 20 following a trial at Basildon Crown Court. Today (September 10 2024), Kiernan Hughes-Mason was jailed for 14 years.
Speaking after the sentencing, the victim’s mother and her family said: “On 31 January 2020, our whole world was blown apart. Our daughter, our niece, and our granddaughter have been left with significant physical and mental disabilities that will impact her for the rest of her life.
“She cannot sit, stand or walk independently, requiring a hoist to move her. As a result of her injuries, she suffers from constant pain that needs to be managed daily. The brain damage caused has affected her communication; she cannot even tell us where her pain is or what upsets her.

“She is now epileptic, suffers from sleep disorders, struggles to eat and cannot drink – she is tube-fed for all her hydration and nutritional needs. Despite all this, we still see her personality shine through every day. Amid the pain she constantly faces, she brightens the darkest days.
“We will continue to ensure that she can live each day to the full as best she can. We love her more than anything else in this world. We are thankful that today some form of justice has been achieved; however, this sentence does not compare to the life sentence our little girl now has.”
The mum added: “We mourn all the experiences we would have shared with her that were taken from her by a violent coward, and we celebrate every day we still get to share with our beautiful young girl.”
After the sentencing today, Detective Sergeant Ellie Nudd of our Child Abuse Investigation Team said: “Kiernan Hughes-Mason lied to 999 call handlers, paramedics, police officers and hospital staff on the day of the incident, immediately trying to cover up his attack. He can only be described as a coward.
“Most of all, our thoughts are of a fearless girl and her family, who have worked with us to ensure justice was done. Our county is a safer place now that Kiernan Hughes-Mason is behind bars.
DS Nudd added: “The girl’s family have shown incredible strength to listen to this trial unfold, and their testimonies on Hughes-Mason have all contributed to this sentencing. Our Child Abuse Investigation Team have worked tirelessly to gather the required evidence to secure these charges.
“Our colleagues in the East of England Ambulance Service quickly saw the extent of the girl’s injuries when called to the address that night and have supported our investigation diligently. We’d also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service for their work throughout this case and everyone who gave evidence and who had a part to play in making sure he faced justice.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.