Girl 'May Have Died Mimicking Peppa Pig'

A young girl could have died by falling out of bed while imitating a Peppa Pig story, the lawyer of the man accused of killing her has suggested.

The possibility was raised by the barrister representing Ben Butler, who is on trial for the murder of his daughter Ellie.

His defence lawyer said she may have been imitating the popular television cartoon character when she fell off her bed and bumped her head.

However, a medical expert rejected the idea, telling jurors the skull fractures the six-year-old died from were the result of "considerable blunt impact to the head".

Butler, 36, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering the youngster in a fit of rage when he was left alone with her and another child at the family home on 28 October 2013.

He was previously found guilty of assaulting Ellie, when she was a baby in 2007, but was later cleared on appeal.

She was placed into care following the first investigation but was returned to the family 11 months before her death.

Butler's lawyer, Icah Peart QC, while cross examining pathologist Professor Anthony Risdon on his post-mortem examination findings, asked whether it was possible that Ellie's death could have been accidental.

After asking the professor if he was aware of Peppa Pig, he said: "In particular, I am interested in a nursery rhyme that goes as follows: Five little Peppa Pigs jumping on the bed. One jumped off and bumped her head. Mummy called the doctor and the doctor said 'Don't let Peppa Pig jump on the bed'.

"Did you know Ellie was a Peppa Pig fan? It was on the DVD in her room. There are Peppa Pig artefacts around about her room.

"What I am talking about is someone jumping up and down on the bed and, as Peppa Pig does, jumps over backwards, falls down and hits her head on the concrete floor.

"That's the kind of momentum I am talking about. Is that the sort of thing that might possibly result in the kind of injuries you saw?"

Prof Risdon replied: "I have seen a large number of head injuries in children.

"I have never come across a scenario like that and I have never come across a short distance fall that results in a similar injury. It's completely outside of my experience, which is not inconsiderable."

The jury also heard from consultant neuro-radiologist Dr Neil Stoodley, who insisted he was right nearly a decade ago when he testified that Ellie was shaken as a baby, despite new medical evidence.

Butler, of Sutton, southwest London, denies murder and child cruelty. Ellie's mother Jennie Gray, 36, also denies child cruelty but has admitted perverting the course of justice over allegations she destroyed evidence and lied to police to protect Butler.