Thursday, May 19, 2016

Bulletin: Ben Butler; UK; Ongoing trial; He denies diverting suspicion in the killing of his six-year-old daughter to her mother, his partner, Jennie Gray. " A transcript of his conversation with the 999 operator showed Mr Butler was heard to say "What happened, what happened, baby?" to Ms Gray. He subsequently tells the operator he does not know what happened and had gone upstairs to find Ellie had "fallen down". Mr Justice Wilkie asked Mr Butler how he would respond to the suggestion there was a "cover up" and he had sought to "transfer suspicion" from himself. Mr Butler replied: "Absolutely not. I would not blame [Ms Gray] for anything."' He earlier told jurors the "damage was done" when Ellie fell down the stairs while playing with new puppy Minnie weeks before she died. Her death was probably his fault because he subsequently failed to take her to hospital - a mistake for which he paid the "ultimate price", he said." BBC News;


"A father accused of killing his six-year-old daughter in a violent rage has denied trying to divert suspicion towards his partner. Ben Butler, 36, is accused of inflicting "catastrophic" head injuries on his daughter Ellie.He told the Old Bailey he would not blame her mother Jennie Gray "for anything". Mr Butler, from Sutton, south-west London, denies murder and child cruelty. He has admitted failing to phone emergency services until two hours after he found Ellie unresponsive in her bedroom on 28 October, 2013. Mr Butler first contacted Ms Gray at work and told her to come home. He told the court he then went out to walk the dog. Neighbours have confirmed they spoke to him. "That means, doesn't it, that Jennie was the sole adult in the house for quite a period of time leading up to the period before you rang the ambulance?" asked Mr Justice Wilkie. Mr Butler agreed but said he was unsure how long Ms Gray was there. Shortly after getting back, he rang for an ambulance. A transcript of his conversation with the 999 operator showed Mr Butler was heard to say "What happened, what happened, baby?" to Ms Gray. He subsequently tells the operator he does not know what happened and had gone upstairs to find Ellie had "fallen down". Mr Justice Wilkie asked Mr Butler how he would respond to the suggestion there was a "cover up" and he had sought to "transfer suspicion" from himself. Mr Butler replied: "Absolutely not. I would not blame [Ms Gray] for anything."' He earlier told jurors the "damage was done" when Ellie fell down the stairs while playing with new puppy Minnie weeks before she died. Her death was probably his fault because he subsequently failed to take her to hospital - a mistake for which he paid the "ultimate price", he said......... The Old Bailey jury has heard Mr Butler was convicted of shaking Ellie as a baby but was cleared on appeal. Ms Gray denies a charge of child cruelty." The trial continues.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-36334937