“Evil” Ben Butler has been jailed for life for killing his six-year-old daughter in a fit of rage – 11 months after winning her back in a high-profile custody battle.
Advertisement
Mrs Justice Hogg ordered Sutton Council to send letters to education, child protection and health bodies, stressing that Butler was innocent after she decided that his daughter Ellie should be returned to his care in November 2012.
His partner and Ellie’s mum, ex-EastEnders actress Jennie Gray, 36, was convicted of child cruelty, having already admitted perverting the course of justice.
He was jailed for a minimum of 23 years. Gray is convicted of child cruelty.
October 17, 2013: Butler is enraged to discover Gray’s secret diary in which she chronicles his abusive behaviour.
Following the guilty verdict at the Old Bailey, Butler shouted out: “I’ll fight for the rest of my life – unbelievable”, before adding: “I want to be sentenced now so I can fight in the Appeal Court”. There is no need – you can sentence me now so I can fight in the appeal court and prove this wrong. “I’m 100 per cent not guilty”.
As the verdicts were returned Butler mumbled angrily, while Gray said: “Big mistake, big mistake, big mistake”. “Spend another 10 years proving you wrong”.
It found that Butler and Ellie’s mother, Jennie Gray, continued to behave in this hostile way even after Ellie and her younger sibling were returned to their care.
The now-retired judge described the move as “a happy end” – despite warnings that she would “have blood on her hands”.
A serious case review found Sutton Children Services felt “powerless to act” following the High Court’s ruling.
The case was heard by Mrs Justice Hogg, who exonerated him of all wrongdoing and concluded that it was a joy to oversee Ellie’s return to her parents.
After killing his daughter, Butler put off dialling 999 for two hours and instead summoned Gray back from work in the City of London.
Together they concocted an elaborate cover story to destroy evidence and stage the scene as if Ellie had suffered an accidental fall while jumping in her bedroom.
Hillman came forward after she heard of little Ellie’s death.
The judge, Mr. Justice Wilkie, called Gray “naive and stupid”, but saved his strongest wrath for Butler.
Neal Gray (70) who had cared for Ellie since she was 10 weeks old, spent all of his £70,000 savings fighting Butler in the courts.
Ben Butler, 36, was today sentenced to life in prison after inflicting catastrophic head injuries on Ellie at their home in Sutton.
The organisation, which consists of two staff, confirmed S4C had been informed by Ellie’s school of her poor attendance and had impressed on the parents how important it was.
“Ellie was a very lovely, bubbly and intelligent little girl who always had a smile on her face and even at such a young age she was nobody’s fool. How we all miss her”.
Foul-mouthed Everton football fan Butler was unable to control his “volcanic” temper – even in front of jurors.
When he lost his temper and killed Ellie, it was “not a tragic aberration but was all too consistent with your treatment of and your attitude towards her”, the judge said.
Ben Butler and Ellie’s mother, Jennie Gray, have denied any wrongdoing.
Dame Mary Hogg handed little Ellie back to her dad Ben – who would go on to kill her – and mum Jennie Gray – who would help cover-up the murder.
But it was never shown to the jury after the judge ruled it inadmissible, and if any one of them had seen it the trial may have been abandoned.
June 2007: Ellie was placed in the care of her grandparents.
The investigating officer, Det Insp Dave Reid, said: “Butler and Gray set about orchestrating a set of lies to blame everyone but themselves for Ellie’s murder and the events leading up to it”.
She rejected fears over Butler’s violent past, saying: “I was impressed by the father”. He had a history of offending and violence.
When the United Kingdom man walked free from the Court of Appeal in 2010 having had his conviction quashed, he was triumphant, the Telegraph reported.
Advertisement
Ellie, 6, died in 2013, soon after being put back in her father’s care – a father who had previously been charged for almost killing her. They ruled not enough emphasis was put on the possibility of an “unknown cause” of Ellie’s injury.
