"A woman accused of helping her partner cover up his murder of their six-year-old daughter has told the jury the girl was injured while in the care of grandparents or social services. Jennie Gray, 36, told the court that their daughter Ellie appeared to have suffered a fractured skull in the years she spent away from her parents. The girl was taken in 2007 after being rushed to hospital with head injuries. Gray also insisted that Butler, 36, never physically abused her or Ellie, saying he was a 'laddie man' who was only violent towards other men. Under cross-examination at the Old Bailey today, Gray also dismissed the prosecutor's claim that she allowed her 'devotion' to Butler to overcome her 'proper concerns for her child' and herself. The court also heard that Gray has visited Butler in prison 190 times since he was charged with Ellie's murder and remanded in March 2014...Under cross examination, Ben FitzGerald asserted that Butler and Gray's lies were 'bound together'......Turning to the stream of abusive texts Butler sent Gray in 2013, the prosecutor said: 'You have always maintained that Ben Butler has not been violent. You have always been hiding the truth. 'Because once you have admissions of him being violent, you would destroy any chance of you keeping (Ellie) and maintaining your relationship with him.' Gray said: 'Ben was not violent to me and he certainly was not violent to my (daughter) and I maintain that 100 per cent.' Citing her own words in a 'desperate prayer' she wrote, Mr FitzGerald went on: 'You allowed your devotion to Mr Butler to overcome what should have been your proper concerns for your child.' Gray said it was 'not true'. She denied that, when she wrote that Butler was 'angry, hateful and violent', she was referring to violence against her. She told jurors he was a 'laddie man' who could be violent to other men when he was out but not to her. Asked if Butler had a temper, Gray said: 'I have a temper. You have a temper. We all have a temper.'...The court heard that Gray went back to work with a bump on her head. She put it down to an accident slipping on steps, adding that she was a 'clumsy' person. The trial has heard that Butler, 36, of Sutton, south London, was convicted of shaking Ellie in 2007 but cleared on appeal.The couple won their custody battle to get Ellie returned to the family 11 months before her death."
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Bulletin: Ben Butler: UK; Ongoing trial: The Daily Mail reports on cross-examination of his partner - Ellie's mother - Jenny Gray; "Mother accused of covering up her six-year-old daughter's murder says girl fractured her skull when being looked after by social services or relatives; Ben Butler, 36, is accused of murdering daughter Ellie in October 2013; His partner Jennie Gray, 36, was cross-examined at the Old Bailey today; She said Ellie suffered a fractured skull while in care between 2007-2012; Also insisted Butler was a 'laddie man' who was only violent towards men; Butler and Gray deny child abuse and Butler denies murder. Trial continues."..."A woman accused of helping her partner cover up his murder of their six-year-old daughter has told the jury the girl was injured while in the care of grandparents or social services. Jennie Gray, 36, told the court that their daughter Ellie appeared to have suffered a fractured skull in the years she spent away from her parents."
"A woman accused of helping her partner cover up his murder of their six-year-old daughter has told the jury the girl was injured while in the care of grandparents or social services. Jennie Gray, 36, told the court that their daughter Ellie appeared to have suffered a fractured skull in the years she spent away from her parents. The girl was taken in 2007 after being rushed to hospital with head injuries. Gray also insisted that Butler, 36, never physically abused her or Ellie, saying he was a 'laddie man' who was only violent towards other men. Under cross-examination at the Old Bailey today, Gray also dismissed the prosecutor's claim that she allowed her 'devotion' to Butler to overcome her 'proper concerns for her child' and herself. The court also heard that Gray has visited Butler in prison 190 times since he was charged with Ellie's murder and remanded in March 2014...Under cross examination, Ben FitzGerald asserted that Butler and Gray's lies were 'bound together'......Turning to the stream of abusive texts Butler sent Gray in 2013, the prosecutor said: 'You have always maintained that Ben Butler has not been violent. You have always been hiding the truth. 'Because once you have admissions of him being violent, you would destroy any chance of you keeping (Ellie) and maintaining your relationship with him.' Gray said: 'Ben was not violent to me and he certainly was not violent to my (daughter) and I maintain that 100 per cent.' Citing her own words in a 'desperate prayer' she wrote, Mr FitzGerald went on: 'You allowed your devotion to Mr Butler to overcome what should have been your proper concerns for your child.' Gray said it was 'not true'. She denied that, when she wrote that Butler was 'angry, hateful and violent', she was referring to violence against her. She told jurors he was a 'laddie man' who could be violent to other men when he was out but not to her. Asked if Butler had a temper, Gray said: 'I have a temper. You have a temper. We all have a temper.'...The court heard that Gray went back to work with a bump on her head. She put it down to an accident slipping on steps, adding that she was a 'clumsy' person. The trial has heard that Butler, 36, of Sutton, south London, was convicted of shaking Ellie in 2007 but cleared on appeal.The couple won their custody battle to get Ellie returned to the family 11 months before her death."
