Ellie Butler's mother Jennie Gray to appeal against convictions over her death

Ellie Butler with her mother Jennie Gray, who is appealing her conviction for child cruelty and perverting the course of justice
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Hatty Collier25 November 2016
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The mother of Ellie Butler - the six-year-old girl murdered by her father - has launched a bid to challenge her conviction of child cruelty and perverting the course of justice.

Ben Butler was convicted of battering Ellie to death in June following a trial at the Old Bailey and jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.

Ellie's mother, Jennie Gray, 36, was given a 42-month term after being found guilty of child cruelty. She had admitted perverting the course of justice.

On Thurday, a Court of Appeal spokesman confirmed that she has made a "late application" for permission to appeal in relation to both child cruelty and perverting the course of justice.

The normal time limit to lodge an appeal is 28 days after conviction and anyone lodging after that deadline has to make representations as to why their application should be accepted "out of time" by the court.

Killer: Ben Butler with his murdered daughter Ellie 
Metropolitan Police

Ellie had been placed in the care of her grandparents after Butler was accused of shaking her when she was a baby.

But she was returned to the care of Butler - and her mother - following a ruling by Mrs Justice Hogg in 2012 in the Family Division of the High Court.

The Old Bailey trial heard that Butler battered his daughter to death at the family home in Sutton, south London, in a momentary but volcanic loss of temper after months of subjecting his partner and daughter to abuse.

The couple angrily protested their innocence when jurors returned guilty verdicts.

Gray told them they had made a "big mistake", while Butler shouted that he would "fight forever" in the appeal courts.

It is understood that Butler has to date not made any late application to the Court of Appeal.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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