Court lifts gag on Ellie Butler murder case as dad appeals conviction over her death
Victory for press freedom as judges throw out Family Court ruling for report over six-year-old's death to be secret
A GAG imposed by a judge over the murder of six-year-old Ellie Butler is to be lifted, in a victory for the Press.
The Appeal Court ordered a mystery ruling relating to the case should no longer be secret, vetoing fears by judges it could prejudice any retrial of the youngster’s dad for her death.
Ben Butler, 36, was convicted of beating Ellie to death, and sentenced to life with a minimum 23 years.
Yesterday it emerged he has launched an appeal.
The mystery ruling came from Mrs Justice Eleanor King in the High Court’s Family Division in 2014, after Ellie’s 2013 murder but before Butler’s Old Bailey trial.
Yesterday three appeal judges backed Press claims it was in the public interest to lift the lid, which is expected to happen in days.
A previous judge forecast it would make “front-page news”.
Social services returned Ellie to her parents in Sutton, South London, despite Butler being accused of shaking her when she was a baby.
Ellie’s mum Jennie Gray, 36, convicted of trying to shield Butler, is serving 3½ years.