AN “evil” dad has been found guilty of murdering his six-year-old daughter – and the girl’s mum has been convicted of child cruelty.
Ben Butler pretended young Ellie had been injured accidentally as she jumped up and down on her bed to her favourite cartoon Peppa Pig at their family home in Sutton.
Butler called for an ambulance – but he had actually battered the girl to death two hours before.
The 36-year-old and his partner Jennie Gray spent the time destroying evidence and preparing their story.
Today an Old Bailey jury found Butler guilty of murder and his partner Gray was found guilty of child cruelty – three days after retiring to consider the verdicts.
The pair held hands, looked each other in the eyes and exchanged their final words before the jury of eight women and four men returned their verdicts after two days of deliberations.
Mr Justice Wilkie said he would sentence the pair later today.
Mr Justice Wilkie said Ellie suffered “catastrophic” brain injuries in October 2013.
The prosecution had always argued that Butler and Gray were responsible for a “cold calculated and detailed cover-up”.
The murder happened less than a year after Ellie had been returned to the couple from care.