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| Man accused of killing daughter 'beat partner during miscarriage' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man charged with murdering his six-year-old daughter in a fit of rage was accused of beating up his partner when she was miscarrying another baby, a court has heard. | |
| Ben Butler, 36, is on trial for the murder of Ellie Butler on 28 October 2013 when he was alone at home with her and another child. | Ben Butler, 36, is on trial for the murder of Ellie Butler on 28 October 2013 when he was alone at home with her and another child. |
| Butler and his partner, Jennie Gray, also 36, are jointly charged with child cruelty over an untreated broken shoulder the girl sustained weeks before her death. | Butler and his partner, Jennie Gray, also 36, are jointly charged with child cruelty over an untreated broken shoulder the girl sustained weeks before her death. |
| On Tuesday, the jury at the Old Bailey was shown a series of abusive texts sent to Gray while she was in hospital recovering from injuries sustained during the beating. | On Tuesday, the jury at the Old Bailey was shown a series of abusive texts sent to Gray while she was in hospital recovering from injuries sustained during the beating. |
| The incident happened on 15 March 2013, just seven months before the couple’s daughter was found with “catastrophic” and fatal injuries at his home. Ellie had a fractured skull similar to that sustained in a high-speed car crash and a postmortem examination showed her shoulder had been broken weeks before. | The incident happened on 15 March 2013, just seven months before the couple’s daughter was found with “catastrophic” and fatal injuries at his home. Ellie had a fractured skull similar to that sustained in a high-speed car crash and a postmortem examination showed her shoulder had been broken weeks before. |
| The court heard how, in January 2013, the relationship was on the brink of collapse, with Butler threatening to walk outbecause he couldn’t stand Gray’s looks, her mouth, her weight or Ellie. | The court heard how, in January 2013, the relationship was on the brink of collapse, with Butler threatening to walk outbecause he couldn’t stand Gray’s looks, her mouth, her weight or Ellie. |
| The jury was told Butler sent text messages to Gray, who was pregnant, telling her he was disgusted and had had “enough of your weight and looks”. “You whacked on a massive [amount]. No baby,” he said. | The jury was told Butler sent text messages to Gray, who was pregnant, telling her he was disgusted and had had “enough of your weight and looks”. “You whacked on a massive [amount]. No baby,” he said. |
| “I’ve looked after kids for a month on my own in a sexless relationship and I get nowt for it,” he said in another. | “I’ve looked after kids for a month on my own in a sexless relationship and I get nowt for it,” he said in another. |
| In further text messages, Gray described having a “fucked abortion” and losing a baby boy. Butler warned her not to get pregnant again with a string of texts raging about looking after Ellie and another child, who cannot be named for legal reasons. | In further text messages, Gray described having a “fucked abortion” and losing a baby boy. Butler warned her not to get pregnant again with a string of texts raging about looking after Ellie and another child, who cannot be named for legal reasons. |
| The court heard how Butler, who looked after the children while Gray worked as a graphic designer in central London, sent an angry text when the other child wet themself in front of Butler’s father. | |
| “Fuck sake I’m tired of this kids shit. Fucking angry with [redacted], did it in front of my dad and weed .. Not having hospital or you getting pregant,” he texted. | “Fuck sake I’m tired of this kids shit. Fucking angry with [redacted], did it in front of my dad and weed .. Not having hospital or you getting pregant,” he texted. |
| He described the child as “an abs cunt” and demanded an explanation from Gray: “I want to knw y she pissrd in front of dad and sat there sulking the whole fucking time”. | He described the child as “an abs cunt” and demanded an explanation from Gray: “I want to knw y she pissrd in front of dad and sat there sulking the whole fucking time”. |
| The jury heard how two months later the “toxic relationship” had descended into violence, and was handed 16 pages of virtriolic text exchanges. | The jury heard how two months later the “toxic relationship” had descended into violence, and was handed 16 pages of virtriolic text exchanges. |
| According to Gray’s texts, Butler was violent towards her and threw her out of the house on 15 March while she was bleeding heavily, with “dead baby” still in her womb as a result of an unsuccessful abortion. | According to Gray’s texts, Butler was violent towards her and threw her out of the house on 15 March while she was bleeding heavily, with “dead baby” still in her womb as a result of an unsuccessful abortion. |
| After more than two days of text abuse, she accused Butler what happened. “Friday 15th kicked out of room and treated v v badly .sat 16, treated v v abdly, kicked out of street, bleeding very badly and in heavy pain from both.” | |
| “My jaw, back, neck and head still hurt very badly from Friday and Saturday,” she texted. | “My jaw, back, neck and head still hurt very badly from Friday and Saturday,” she texted. |
| “You did bad, and knew I was pregnant and was miscarrying and bleeding very badly.” | “You did bad, and knew I was pregnant and was miscarrying and bleeding very badly.” |
| On 16 March, while being treated in hospital, Butler begged her to take his phone calls. But she texted: “You threw me out after what else u did. As god is my witness I will never forget.” | On 16 March, while being treated in hospital, Butler begged her to take his phone calls. But she texted: “You threw me out after what else u did. As god is my witness I will never forget.” |
| “I am bleeding bad still and made worse. I wish never wke up every morning.” | “I am bleeding bad still and made worse. I wish never wke up every morning.” |
| Butler told her that if she stayed in hospital he would call a social worker and she would lose Ellie. | Butler told her that if she stayed in hospital he would call a social worker and she would lose Ellie. |
| She responded: “I’m bleeding and ignoring it and pain all for U Pretending U didn’t make me kill a baby U didn’t want. Pretending won’t forgiev you. I wish I was dead.” | She responded: “I’m bleeding and ignoring it and pain all for U Pretending U didn’t make me kill a baby U didn’t want. Pretending won’t forgiev you. I wish I was dead.” |
| In a later text said: “I love you more than anything in the world” but added “I feel very hurt too and didn’t want those things happen...I just want to feel safe for once.” | In a later text said: “I love you more than anything in the world” but added “I feel very hurt too and didn’t want those things happen...I just want to feel safe for once.” |
| He promised not to be violent but Gray said she wouldn’t return because he had beaten her up, and she would seek refuge in a church. | He promised not to be violent but Gray said she wouldn’t return because he had beaten her up, and she would seek refuge in a church. |
| Gray said she was not leaving hospital until “getting dead baby out of my womb properly”. She also told him she was suspected of having two types of cancer, ovarian and bowel, and Crohn’s disease. | Gray said she was not leaving hospital until “getting dead baby out of my womb properly”. She also told him she was suspected of having two types of cancer, ovarian and bowel, and Crohn’s disease. |
| “I will take as long as hospital want me to not what U want Just remember this is all your fault. While U lay there know and remember what I did and U made me kill an unborn baby boy.” | “I will take as long as hospital want me to not what U want Just remember this is all your fault. While U lay there know and remember what I did and U made me kill an unborn baby boy.” |
| Butler and Gray, of Sutton, south-west London, deny the charges against them. Gray has previously admitted perverting the course of justice over an alleged coverup after Ellie’s death. | Butler and Gray, of Sutton, south-west London, deny the charges against them. Gray has previously admitted perverting the course of justice over an alleged coverup after Ellie’s death. |