Kiernan Hughes-Mason, a former professional footballer, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for grievous bodily harm and child cruelty after severely injuring a two-year-old girl in Westcliff-on-Sea. Over a three-month period in 2020, Hughes-Mason inflicted 17 injuries on the child, resulting in life-changing brain damage that left her unable to walk, sit, or stand unaided. Despite initially claiming the injuries were accidental, medical experts likened them to those sustained in a high-speed car crash. The girl was placed in a coma for 14 days and now requires round-the-clock care, profoundly impacting her family's life. Hughes-Mason's actions have drawn condemnation from the football community, including his former club Hashtag United, which expressed shock at the revelations. The victim's mother poignantly stated that Hughes-Mason took their daughter's future away, as she now lives in constant pain and requires extensive accommodations.