Woman convinced to torture and kill daughter, 8, by 'controlling' lesbian lover faces jail
A WOMAN who was convinced to torture, abuse and eventually kill her eight-year-old daughter by her controlling lesbian lover is facing years behind bars.
Polly Chowdhury, 35, and Kiki Muddar, 43, were today both facing a lengthy jail sentences after being found guilty of manslaughter over the death of Chowdhury's daughter Ayesha Ali.
The pair killed the young girl, who was found "cold and stiff" and wearing nothing but a pair of pink knickers, at Chowdhury's home in Chadwell Heath, east London, on 28 August 2013.
She had sustained nearly 50 injuries including a bite mark which was matched to her mother.
Her mother had left a series of notes in which she appeared to admit the killing, including one which read: "I have taken my life and Ayesha's life".
However, further investigation led to evidence that also implicated Muddar.
Police went on to uncover a twisted web of alter-egos created by Muddar on Facebook and in text messages, with which she seduced and controlled her girlfriend Chowdhury.
The pair's bizarre relationship revolved around a "sado masochistic" fantasy world, involving fictional boyfriends, angels and spirits.
Using these personas to exploit Chowdhury's belief in ghosts - including a fake Muslim spirit guide called Skyman - Muddar encouraged her lover to discipline Ayesha because she saw her as a threat.
She told Chowdhury her daughter - who weighed just three-and-a-half stone when she died - was "evil" and had "bad blood".
In a recorded phone conversation with a friend the month before the killing, Muddar described Ayesha as "pure evil" and a "witch" and threatened to drown her in the bath.
Just days before her death, Muddar and Chowdhury took it in turns to terrorise Ayesha by wearing a scary mask.
A neighbour heard the little girl screaming, sobbing and then pleading with her mother: "Amah, I don't want to be bad, Amah, Amah, I don't want to be bad."
They also made her write a list of things she had done wrong, which included "huffing and puffing", "telling lies" and "being rude".
After Ayesha's death, Muddar reacted dismissively when she told a paramedic: "She was a naughty child and mum thought she was possessed by the devil."
Chowdhury, of Bedwell Court, Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, and Muddar, of Green Lane, Ilford, denied murder and alternatives of manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child.
They each claimed it was the other woman who had killed Ayesha, but an Old Bailey jury today found both of them guilty of manslaughter.
Muddar wept while Chowdhury sobbed into her hands as the verdicts were announced. The jury took 31 hours and 31 minutes to reach the verdicts by a majority of 10-to-two.
Judge Christopher Moss QC remanded the couple in custody ahead of sentencing on Friday.
Outside court, Ayesha's father Afsar Ali buried his head in his hands and slumped onto a chair in floods of tears.
Mr Ali had previously moved the family away to try to escape Muddar but she followed, eventually ousting Chowdhury's husband from the marital bed.
Speaking outside the court, Detective Sergeant Andy Nimmo went on to read a statement on behalf of a tearful Mr Ali, 35.
He said: "Over the last few weeks I sat in the courtroom as the truth unfolded.
"It was not the truth about my princess Ayesha, it was the truth about what they did to my little girl, how they tortured her and took away her life.
"Ayesha was an amazing little girl - loving, caring, intelligent and always smiling. She was helpful and considerate to everyone she met. She was a gift of love."
DS Nimmo described the circumstances surrounded the little girl's death as "horrible and brutal".
He said: "Ayesha Ali was an innocent and defenceless eight-year-old child caught up in a bizarre set of circumstances and manipulated by two adults who were intent on causing her harm.
"Through social media and text, Muddar created a sophisticated web of lies and deceit which took officers months to unpick. What unravelled was a picture of enormous hatred directed towards Ayesha by both Muddar and Chowdhury.
"Ayesha should have been able to turn to one person who she could trust - her mother - but Chowdhury had allowed herself to become influenced by Muddar and together they inflicted serious emotional and finally physical harm on Ayesha."
