Kiernan Hughes-Mason has been jailed after he left his ex's two-year-old daughter needing 24 care in a shocking attack.
Hughes-Mason, who played for Arsenal and Tottenham's youth teams before joining Championship side Millwall, caused the toddler to suffer 17 different injuries to her face, chest, back and legs in a three-month period.
He claimed she had fallen on her dollhouse, but medics compared her injuries to a 'high-speed road traffic accident' or 'fall from a substantial height of several storeys'.
She was placed in a coma for 14 days and suffered life-changing brain injuries that require round-the-clock care.
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Hughes-Mason has been jailed for 14 years after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and child cruelty.
The girl's mum said her daughter was 'no longer the little girl who would dance around the living room'.
Basildon Crown Court heard she cannot walk, sit or stand by herself and is in constant pain.
She is also now epileptic and struggles to speak and has to be fed via a tube as she finds it difficult to eat or drink.
Hughes-Mason played for Hashtag United in the 2016/17 season as he made 27 appearances.
The club issued a statement in wake of his brutal attack.
It read: "We can categorically say that the club had no knowledge whatsoever of these events until today.
"We are told that the crimes he has now been found guilty of occurred before he joined us.
"Some serious flaws have been exposed in procedures as we'd received confirmation from the relevant authorities that he was clear to coach as part of standard background checks."
The 32-year-old was managing Eastern Counties League Division One South side Enfield Borough until his conviction.
Following the guilty verdict, the club announced that they had sacked him with immediate effect.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article or would like some support or advice, there are a number of helplines available to support you. Childline offer a free-to-call helpline on 0800 1111, while you can also start a 1-2-1 with a counsellor via their official website.
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, meanwhile, can be called on 0808 2000 247.
Topics: Football
Nasir Jabbar