MICHAEL WILD AND SHARLEEN HUGHES FROM ROCHDALE AND SHEFFIELD INVOLVED IN CHILD'S MURDER IN WYTHENSHAWE AND ROCHDALE
In a tragic case that has shocked the communities of Rochdale, Sheffield, and Wythenshawe, a young toddler named Ella-Rose Clover lost her life due to severe injuries inflicted by her caregiver.The events unfolded on 21 January 2018, when Ella-Rose, just 22 months old, was left in the care of Michael Wild, a 30-year-old man from Wythenshawe, Manchester, while her mother, Pagan Clover, was away attending to her daily errands.
According to court proceedings, Wild was alone with Ella-Rose during this time.
When Pagan returned around 1:30 pm, she found her daughter collapsed on the sofa.
Emergency services were called immediately, and Ella-Rose was rushed to the hospital.
Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to internal injuries, specifically abdominal trauma, which had caused her death.
The investigation revealed that Wild had previously assaulted Ella-Rose on multiple occasions, with evidence pointing to repeated episodes of violence that resulted in her suffering internal bleeding and requiring emergency surgery two months prior to her death.
During the trial, the court heard that Wild had a history of violent behavior towards Ella-Rose, and that he had been secretly hitting and bullying her for months.
The medical professionals involved initially believed her bruising and injuries were due to an unknown medical condition, which led to missed opportunities to intervene and protect the child.
Prosecutors argued that Wild's actions were deliberate and that his repeated assaults directly contributed to her tragic death.
Sharleen Hughes, aged 36 and a resident of Mardyke, College Bank, Rochdale, was also central to this case.
She was the godmother of Ella-Rose and had been acting as a paid carer for her while Pagan Clover was at work.
Hughes was convicted of allowing the child's death and two counts of perverting the course of justice.
The court found that Hughes had lied to police, claiming she was at home the entire day and encouraging her son and his friend to lie to cover up Wild’s involvement.
Evidence showed that Hughes had done this to protect Wild and divert police attention away from her own role in the events.
Judge Mr Justice King delivered a stern verdict, emphasizing that Hughes and the medical professionals had been blinded by their belief that Ella-Rose’s injuries were due to a medical condition, when in fact, the evidence pointed to repeated physical abuse.
The judge stated, “Yours was, in fact, a serious case of criminal negligence which has resulted in the death of a child.” He further highlighted that Hughes was aware of the numerous injuries and incidents involving Wild and failed to take appropriate action to prevent further harm.
Wild, who was present in Sheffield, was convicted of murder after denying the charges but was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.
The court heard that Wild had previously assaulted Ella-Rose, leading to her requiring emergency surgery.
His violent behavior was ongoing, and the court described his actions as a culmination of months of abuse.
Hughes, meanwhile, awaits sentencing after her conviction, with her case scheduled for a later date.
This case underscores the tragic consequences of neglect and abuse, highlighting the importance of vigilance and intervention in protecting vulnerable children from harm.
The communities of Rochdale, Sheffield, and Wythenshawe continue to mourn the loss of Ella-Rose Clover, whose life was cut short by the actions of those entrusted with her care.
