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THE ELLIE BUTLER CASE - The Problem with Social Services
Brooke Makenna's 32-minute breakdown, the fullest single telling on file.
Watch on YouTubeWhat happened
Ellie Butler was born on 30 December 2006 and died on 28 October 2013 at her father's home in Sutton, London. In February 2007, when Ellie was an infant, her father Ben Butler was arrested after she was taken to hospital with head and retinal injuries. Following this, Ellie was placed in the care of her maternal grandparents, where she lived until late 2012.
In late 2012, a family court judge, Mrs Justice Mary Hogg, ordered that Ellie be returned to the care of her parents, Ben Butler and Jennie Gray. Less than a year later, on 28 October 2013, Ellie died at Ben Butler's home in Sutton. Ben Butler was subsequently found responsible for her death.
On 21 June 2016, following a trial at the Old Bailey in London, Ben Butler was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison. Ellie's mother, Jennie Gray, was jailed for 42 months after admitting to perverting the course of justice in connection with the case. Both Ben Butler and Jennie Gray were also found guilty of child cruelty.
Ahead of the criminal trial, the Sutton Safeguarding Children Board (SCCB) conducted a Serious Case Review into Ellie's death. Mrs Justice Hogg and other members of the judiciary declined to cooperate with the review beyond providing court orders that were required to be furnished. The review's report was published on 21 June 2016, immediately following Ben Butler's conviction.
Christine Davies, Chair of the SCCB, stated when launching the report that the Family Court's 2007 decision to exonerate Ben Butler of harming Ellie, together with the court's subsequent order that agencies be sent a letter confirming this exoneration, had a significant impact on how agencies were subsequently able to protect Ellie and her siblings. Davies further stated that Ben Butler's exoneration, and the judge's characterisation of him as a victim of a miscarriage of justice, had the effect of transferring significant power to the parents.
Mrs Justice Hogg declined to comment on the outcome of the criminal conviction and retired from the High Court shortly afterwards.
