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Ben Butler murder trial: Father was 'devoted' to daughter | Ben Butler murder trial: Father was 'devoted' to daughter |
(35 minutes later) | |
A father accused of murdering his six-year-old daughter was "completely devoted" to her and had never been violent, her mother told a jury. | |
Ben Butler denies causing catastrophic head injuries to Ellie Butler. | Ben Butler denies causing catastrophic head injuries to Ellie Butler. |
"He was completely devoted, completely in love with the fact that he was a dad," Mr Butler's partner, Jennie Gray, told the Old Bailey. | |
"All you're hearing is some horror story like our house was some house of horrors. And that is just not true." | |
Mr Butler, 36, denies murdering Ellie in a "violent rage", insisting she fell off a stool while playing a game in her bedroom at their home in Sutton, south-west London, in October 2013. | Mr Butler, 36, denies murdering Ellie in a "violent rage", insisting she fell off a stool while playing a game in her bedroom at their home in Sutton, south-west London, in October 2013. |
The prosecution claims Ellie died after suffering skull fractures from being thrown against a wall or hit with a heavy blunt weapon. | |
The court has heard he was previously convicted for shaking Ellie as a baby, although this was later quashed on appeal. | The court has heard he was previously convicted for shaking Ellie as a baby, although this was later quashed on appeal. |
The couple then won a High Court judgement to have Ellie returned to their care in 2012. | |
The court has been shown hundreds of text messages between Mr Butler and Ms Gray in which he is abusive and uses violent language. | |
Ms Gray, also 36, said the texts came across as "harsher than they were" and that his "bark is definitely worse than his bite". | |
She told jurors he used to threaten her but they were empty threats. | |
"He would say I'll maim you, I'll get you, and I would sit there in my room and say 'yeah of course you will treacle'." | |
She said he was an "amazing" parent and their behaviour was "very happy, very united" in front of Ellie. | |
Ms Gray, a graphic designer, said Mr Butler had supported her decision to have Ellie after they were both "shocked" to learn she had become pregnant in 2006. | |
Following a traumatic birth, Ms Gray said he had visited Ellie daily once she had left the hospital with her. | Following a traumatic birth, Ms Gray said he had visited Ellie daily once she had left the hospital with her. |
'Violently shaken' | |
In February 2007, Ms Gray said when she dropped Ellie off with Mr Butler, he said: "Cor, she's pale, isn't she?" | In February 2007, Ms Gray said when she dropped Ellie off with Mr Butler, he said: "Cor, she's pale, isn't she?" |
Later, Mr Butler's friend phoned Ms Gray to tell her to get to the hospital. | Later, Mr Butler's friend phoned Ms Gray to tell her to get to the hospital. |
During this phone call, she could hear Mr Butler screaming that Ellie was not breathing, Ms Gray told the court. | During this phone call, she could hear Mr Butler screaming that Ellie was not breathing, Ms Gray told the court. |
At the hospital, they were told that Ellie had been "violently shaken", she said. | At the hospital, they were told that Ellie had been "violently shaken", she said. |
Ellie was then taken to another hospital but not before "many mistakes" had been made by the hospital, where staff "misdiagnosed" her, Ms Gray said. | Ellie was then taken to another hospital but not before "many mistakes" had been made by the hospital, where staff "misdiagnosed" her, Ms Gray said. |
She said she "went to pieces" after Ellie was taken into care, and turned to alcohol before Mr Butler helped her to survive. | |
Ms Gray has admitted perverting the course of justice in the wake of Ellie's death but denies child cruelty over an untreated broken shoulder. | |
The trial continues. |