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Ellie Butler was unlawfully killed, inquest rules Ellie Butler was unlawfully killed, inquest rules
(35 minutes later)
Ellie Butler, the six-year-old who was battered to death by her father in 2013, was unlawfully killed, an inquest has ruled. The action or inaction of agencies involved in the case of the murdered six-year-old Ellie Butler cannot be said to have “possibly or probably” contributed to her death, a coroner has ruled.
Ellie was killed by Ben Butler at their family home in Sutton, south London. The two-week inquest at South London coroner’s court examined whether there were failures on the part of the authorities, including the sharing of information, co-operation and communication between organisations. Ellie, who was beaten to death by her father, Ben Butler, in 2013, was unlawfully killed, an inquest has formally determined.
The coroner, Linda Dobbs, said that despite the failings of agencies she was “unable to conclude” that they played a role in her death. She was placed in the care of her grandparents as a baby after her father had been accused of shaking her.
The proceedings were not tasked with examining a family court ruling that returned the schoolgirl to the hands of her abusive father. Ellie had been placed in the care of her grandparents as a baby after Butler was accused of shaking her. She was returned to the care of Butler, and her mother, in 2012 after a ruling by Mrs Justice Hogg in the family division of the high court.
She was returned to live with her birth parents in November 2012 after a ruling by Mrs Justice Hogg in the family division of the high court. Ellie was battered to death at the family home in Sutton, south London, in October the following year.
Butler is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years after he was convicted of murder by a jury at the Old Bailey in June 2016. Butler was convicted of her murder in June 2016 after a trial at the Old Bailey and jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.
Ellie’s mother, Jennie Gray, was convicted of child cruelty and perverting the course of justice and sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. Ellie’s mother, Jennie Gray, was given a 42-month term after being found guilty of child cruelty after the Old Bailey trial. She had admitted perverting the course of justice.
Ellie’s grandfather Neal Gray described the day his granddaughter was taken from his care as “heartbreaking” and said social workers “failed in their duty” to her. The inquest’s scope covered the period from 6 July 2012 – the date of Hogg’s decision – to Ellie’s death on 28 October 2013.
Social worker Steven Atherton also gave evidence, saying: “We were part of a system that failed this little girl.” The inquest was examining whether there were failures on the part of the authorities with regard to Ellie’s murder, including the sharing of information, cooperation and communication between organisations.
It was not examining the family court ruling that had returned the schoolgirl to the hands of her abusive father.
Formally concluding the inquest with a 30-minute ruling, Dame Linda Dobbs said Ellie had been unlawfully killed, having suffered fatal head injuries caused by her father.
Delivering her ruling at South London coroner’s court, Dobbs said: “Despite various failings which have been highlighted in the SCR [Services for Children] report and which will be addressed in a PFD [Prevent Future Deaths] report, on the evidence I am unable to conclude that any acts or omissions by the relevant agencies possibly or probably contributed to the death of Ellie.”
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