Chadwell Heath ‘murder’: Jury begin deliberations over death of Ayesha Ali
Eight-year-old Ayesha Ali was found dead at her home in Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, in August 2013 - Credit: Archant
A jury has retired to begin deliberations over the alleged murder of an eight-year-old girl in Chadwell Heath.
Polly Chowdhury, 35, and Kiki Muddar, 43, stand accused of killing Chowdhury’s daughter Ayesha Ali in their Broomfield Road home 18 months ago.
Both have denied the charges of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child. Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom on August 29, 2013.
Chowdhury was subject to “brainwashing and control” by Muddar, of Green Lane, the Old Bailey heard on Monday.
But although Muddar created manipulative alter egos using social media she was not delusional and understood her actions, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said.
You may also want to watch:
In his closing speech, he added: “However immoral, abhorrent and illegal her judgement, it was rational. She hated the girl getting between her and Polly.
“Bearing in mind the nature of the offence and this fictional world on Facebook, there is no question of either defendant having been mad. In other words, when discussing a case like this and how awful it must be, there is no question of saying they must have been mad.”
Most Read
- 1 Fines for Havering landlords who put Dagenham tenants 'in danger'
- 2 Watch the moment Dagenham man attacks police officer with sword
- 3 Meet the singer drawing global audiences to her Barking living room
- 4 Survey asks women where they feel unsafe in Barking and Dagenham
- 5 Images released of man in connection with robbery on train from Barking
- 6 Vaisakhi observed with ceremony at Barking Town Hall
- 7 Barking fishmongers shut down by council after Covid-19 safety warning
- 8 'Terrifying' CCTV footage shows vandals take axes to cars of NHS workers
- 9 RSPCA appeal over video of dog 'carried' by collar in Dagenham
- 10 Council denies Barking mum's claim that it took hours to respond to flood
Both women blamed each other over the girl’s death, which happened with a “background of prolonged abuse – some might even consider it torture”, the court heard. They hit Ayesha with a wooden spoon and, on the day she died, she was given a cold bath as a punishment for wetting herself.
Check back at bdpost.co.uk throughout the week for the latest on the trial.
Additional reporting by Press Association
