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Ayesha Ali death: Accused's evil spirit belief 'exploited' Ayesha Ali death: Accused's evil spirit belief 'exploited'
(about 2 hours later)
A mother accused of murdering her eight-year-old daughter has told a jury she believed her lesbian lover exploited her belief in "evil spirits".A mother accused of murdering her eight-year-old daughter has told a jury she believed her lesbian lover exploited her belief in "evil spirits".
Polly Chowdhury, 35 and Kiki Muddar, 43, are jointly accused over the death of Ayesha Ali. They deny the charges. Polly Chowdhury, 35 and Kiki Muddar, 43, are jointly accused over the death of Ayesha Ali. They deny the charges.
Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom in August 2013 having suffered numerous injuries, including a bite mark and carpet burns.Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom in August 2013 having suffered numerous injuries, including a bite mark and carpet burns.
Ms Muddar, the prosecution claim, made up characters to control Ms Chowdhury.Ms Muddar, the prosecution claim, made up characters to control Ms Chowdhury.
Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom at a flat in Chadwell Heath, east London, with more than 50 injuries to her body.Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom at a flat in Chadwell Heath, east London, with more than 50 injuries to her body.
The court previously heard how Ms Muddar pretended to have cancer and invented a cast of fictitious characters to seduce and poison Ms Chowdhury's mind against her daughter.The court previously heard how Ms Muddar pretended to have cancer and invented a cast of fictitious characters to seduce and poison Ms Chowdhury's mind against her daughter.
Ms Chowdhury told jurors: "I believe now that the way Kiki Muddar was sending these messages, she knew she was going to get a reaction from me. Giving evidence in her defence, Ms Chowdhury told jurors: "I believe now that the way Kiki Muddar was sending these messages, she knew she was going to get a reaction from me.
"Now I can see that things were engineered in such a way she knew exactly how my responses would be, that I would do anything to make things better.""Now I can see that things were engineered in such a way she knew exactly how my responses would be, that I would do anything to make things better."
The court heard Ms Chowdhury was brought up a Muslim by Bangladeshi parents in Hampstead, north London, and as part of that she believed in "possession by spirits" and "black magic".The court heard Ms Chowdhury was brought up a Muslim by Bangladeshi parents in Hampstead, north London, and as part of that she believed in "possession by spirits" and "black magic".
She said she confided her feelings of "guilt" and "low self esteem" in Ms Muddar from her teenage years after she terminated a pregnancy and had an abusive arranged marriage.She said she confided her feelings of "guilt" and "low self esteem" in Ms Muddar from her teenage years after she terminated a pregnancy and had an abusive arranged marriage.
'Someone would die''Someone would die'
On one occasion Ms Chowdhury received a message from a character called Jimmy, who she believed was real, who sent her texts promising to treat her like a "princess" and encouraging her to send explicit photographs of herself via Facebook. One character called Jimmy sent her texts promising to treat her like a "princess" and encouraged her to send explicit photographs of herself via Facebook, jurors heard.
Asked why she could not walk away from the situation, she said: "Because if I did, then someone would die. Kiki would die, Jimmy would die, my parents would die, my family."Asked why she could not walk away from the situation, she said: "Because if I did, then someone would die. Kiki would die, Jimmy would die, my parents would die, my family."
Ms Chowdhury said the women were "soul mate friends", but for her the relationship was not sexual.
After she separated from her husband, she wanted to get a three-bedroom apartment but one of the characters, a Muslim spirit guide called "Skyman", told Ms Chowdhury she should get a two-bedroom place instead, prosecutors said.
Asked by her lawyer Ali Bajwa QC why she thought that was, the witness said: "So that she (Muddar) could be in my room."
The defendant said after Ms Muddar moved in to her bed, she would spend all night "touching" her body, but it was only to "heal" her.
Ms Chowdhury told the jurors: "When I stay with my sisters we always share the same bed and she was like my sister and I didn't feel any different about it.
"It was not anything sexual related in any way whatsoever."
Ms Muddar, of Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, and Ms Chowdhury, of Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex, deny murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child, between March 1 and August 29 2013.Ms Muddar, of Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, and Ms Chowdhury, of Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex, deny murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child, between March 1 and August 29 2013.
The trial continues.The trial continues.