Ellie Butler's grandfather reveals last time he saw her alive as he vows to fight ruling that no authorities were to blame for her death

Fiona Simpson10 April 2018
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The grandfather of murdered Ellie Butler has revealed the heartbreaking moment he last saw his “beautiful, clever” granddaughter alive.

Devastated Neal Grey today vowed to fight a coroner’s ruling that no authorities were to blame over her death.

Speaking to Sky News following her inquest, Mr Grey said Ellie asked her grandmother Linda when she could “come home” in a heartbreaking final conversation.

Ellie was battered to death by her father Ben Butler at home in Sutton, south London in October 2013.

She was placed in the care of her grandparents as a baby after Mr Butler was accused of shaking her.

Heartbroken: Neal Grey
Sky News

But Ellie was returned to the care of her father and mother Jennie Grey after a ruling by Mrs Justice Hogg in the family division of the High Court in 2012.

Coroner Dame Linda Dobbs today ruled that none of the authorities involved could be held responsible for her death following a two-week inquest.

Speaking to Sky News, Neal Grey described the last time he and his wife saw their beloved granddaughter.

'Beautiful child': Ellie Butler
PA

He said they rushed out of the house with just 30 minutes notice after Ellie’s mother invited them to McDonald’s in Sutton just days before her death.

In a highly emotional interview he described his granddaughter’s appearance as “completely and utterly gobsmacking.”

He said: “Her hair was all in a mess, looked as though she had been dragged through a hedgerow, she had odd socks, dirty scruffy trousers, all creased up.”

Ellie Butler was killed by her father Ben Butler
PA

Holding back tears, he said: “She said ‘Nana, when can I come home to see you?’ And Linda just said ‘one day’.

“Ellie came up to us she said ‘I love you Nana, I love you Grandad’ and how are my aunt and uncle.

“We said ‘we all love you and we hope to see you soon’. That was the last time I saw her alive.”

Ellie Butler with Ben
Metropolitan Police

The bereaved grandfather, who lost his wife to cancer in the months after Ellie’s death, blamed authorities over the killing and vowed to fight for justice.

He described the moment the couple were forced to identify Ellie’s body claiming he would “never, ever forget it”.

“It was just like a glass doll in a cabinet. I didn’t know what sort of injuries she had at the time or had sustained. I will never ever forget it for the rest of my life,” he said.

“I know the parents killed Ellie and I blame services for children for Ellie’s death and perhaps bringing my wife’s death forward as well.

“When Mrs Justice Hogg made her decision [to return Ellie to her parents] she said ‘have you anything to say?’ I said: ‘I hope you and all your professionals, I hope you all have got a conscience, because one day you may have blood on your hands in regards to my granddaughter Ellie.’ And my prediction was right,” Mr Grey added.

Branding Butler an “animal”, Mr Grey revealed his wife disowned her daughter “on her deathbed” and said: “I have nothing to do with her now.”

Paying tribute to his “loving, kind” granddaughter, he said: “I miss the companionship of Ellie.

“She put a spring in our steps. She was so beautiful and clever. She really was a clever little girl. If she was here today she would have reached the moon eventually in whatever she wanted to do. She was really a clever, beautiful, loving caring little girl.”

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 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.

The inquest's scope covered the period from July 6 2012 - the date of Mrs Justice Hogg's decision - to Ellie's death on October 28 2013.

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, co-operation and communication between organisations.

It was not examining the family court ruling which 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, Dame Linda 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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