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Ayesha Ali death: Mother's lover will not testify Ayesha Ali death: Mother's lover 'created own world'
(about 5 hours later)
A woman accused of killing her lesbian lover's young daughter has declined to give evidence in her defence. A "sadistic" woman accused of killing her lesbian lover's daughter created a new world for herself in which she was the star, a court heard.
Kiki Muddar, 43, and Polly Chowdhury, 35, are jointly accused of murdering Ms Chowdhury's daughter Ayesha Ali, eight. Kiki Muddar, 43, invented a cast of fictitious characters to seduce Polly Chowdhury, 35, and poison her mind against her eight-year-old daughter.
She was found dead in her bedroom in Chadwell Heath, east London, in August 2013 having suffered numerous injuries, including a bite mark and carpet burns. Both women deny murdering Ayesha Ali, who was found dead in her bedroom in Chadwell Heath, east London, in 2013.
Henry Blaxland QC, defending, said the court would instead hear testimony from psychiatrists who examined Ms Muddar. Jurors at the Old Bailey heard Ms Muddar had a personality disorder.
'Narcissistic and borderline' The court was told she created characters, including "Jimmy Chowdhury" and Muslim spirit guide "Skyman", to manipulate Ms Chowdhury.
The Old Bailey has heard Ms Muddar invented a cast of fictitious characters, including "Jimmy Chowdhury" and Muslim spirit guide "Skyman" on Facebook and text messages, which she used to "poison" the mind of Ms Chowdhury against her daughter. She used Facebook and sent text messages to Ms Chowdhury pretending they were from them.
While Ms Muddar denies being at home at the time of the killing, Ms Chowdhury blamed her for causing the fatal head injury to Ayesha in a tearful conversation with a prison officer, the court has heard. 'No grasp of reality'
Opening Ms Muddar's defence, Mr Blaxland told the jury that she would not be giving evidence but that two psychiatrists would be called to outline their findings that she has a personality disorder. Psychiatrist Cleo Van Velsen told the court: "[Ms Muddar] has an impaired relationship with reality because she has created an alternative one.
The lawyer said they would give evidence that Ms Muddar had a personality disorder with "narcissistic and borderline" components. "She... does not have many friends and suddenly she has created a world where she is a star.
He told the jury: "In this case the central issue for you is whether Kiki Muddar did in fact play any part in Ayesha's death. "She tells lots of lies - she tells them to herself, which is why they are so convincing. I don't think she has a grasp of reality."
"Our case is that she did not and there is no reliable evidence that she did. And it is only if you find she did, that you have to consider if the verdict should be manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility." Dr Van Velsen said the characters were not constructed purely for Ms Chowdhury.
The lawyer said Ms Muddar had told the psychiatrists that the character "Jimmy Chowdhury" was a real person, that she was not responsible for creating "Skyman", and she did not have a sexual relationship with Ms Chowdhury. "[Ms Muddar] was breaking down in some way and she created this world to make things better," she said.
Judge Christopher Moss QC directed jurors that they could draw such inferences from Ms Muddar's decision not to go into the witness box as they deemed proper. She said the defendant had an idea of what a "good person" should be and saw herself as "righteous", so if something bad happened she would immediately deny it.
Ms Muddar, of Green Lane, Ilford, and Ms Chowdhury, of Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, deny murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child between 1 March and 29 August, 2013. Dr Van Velsen agreed there were elements of "sadism and cruelty" in the way she had set chores for Ayesha in the months leading up to the killing - which was a common feature in someone with a narcissistic personality disorder.
The trial continues. Under cross examination, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said: "You concluded that Kiki Muddar thought Ayesha was an impediment to her relationship with Polly Chowdhury and she wanted her to be rid of Ayesha - is that an entirely rational thought?"
Dr Van Velsen replied: "It is not, because the relationship with Polly was an entirely unhealthy one. This was a very disturbed, toxic situation and her turning an eight-year-old into a threat to a relationship was not rational."
'Bizarre relationship'
Earlier, Ms Muddar's lawyer Henry Blaxland QC told the jury the defendant would not be giving evidence herself.
"The majority of the evidence so far has been concerned with the bizarre relationship between Kiki and Polly and the point has been made that Kiki is responsible for poisoning Polly's mind and turning her against her child," he said.
He said that was something the jury had to decide as well as if Ms Muddar properly understood the potential consequences of her own actions.
"Did her personality disorder so distort her perception of the world and so dominate her relationships with other people she failed properly at all to understand the effect of her conduct?," he asked.
Mr Blaxland said it was the defence's case Ms Muddar did not play a part in Ayesha's death but if the jury thought she did, then the verdict should be manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Ms Muddar, of Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, and Ms Chowdhury, of Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex, deny murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child, between March 1 and August 29 2013.
The trial was adjourned until on Monday.