A Sutton councillor has been urged to resign after implying she hoped the EU referendum would "divert" the media's attention away from the murder of six-year-old Ellie Butler.

Wendy Mathys, chair of the children, families and education committee, was accused of being "more concerned with the council's and her own political reputation" following comments sent in an email just minutes after Ellie's dad Ben Butler was convicted of her killing.

Sutton Council social services strongly objected to a family court judge allowing the little girl to return to Butler and his partner Jennie Gray in 2010, after his conviction for causing her grievous bodily harm was overturned on appeal.

RELATED: Family court judge 'handed all the power' to killer dad Ben Butler, finds serious case review into daughter Ellie's murder

Mrs Justice Hogg appointed an independent social work agency to manage Ellie's return to the custody of her parents, excluding council workers from any role.

A serious case review, published today by Sutton Safeguarding Children Board, found Sutton Council could not have done more to prevent the little girl's death.

Despite that, Cllr Mathys, in an email to council chief executive Niall Bolger and other councillors this afternoon, appeared to suggest she hoped attention on the EU referendum would spare the authority some of the media spotlight.

In reponse to an update on the verdicts from Mr Bolger, she said: "It is excellent that at last justice has been done for Ellie. Let's hope they do not find any grounds for appeal.

"Hopefully media interest may be slightly diverted with other events this week."

Tim Crowley, leader of the Conservative group on Sutton Council, called on Cllr Mathys - who is the lead councillor for child safeguarding - to resign over her comments.

He said: "The courts have concluded that this innocent child was murdered. The evil man responsible has been sentenced. Sutton Council officers were right to object strongly to Ellie Butler being reunited with her father but they were hamstrung by the social services team being excluded from Ellie’s life by the judgment of Mrs Justice Hogg.

"Therefore it is extraordinary and appalling that the councillor in charge of child safeguarding, Wendy Mathys, has said she hopes this week's referendum will divert attention away from this awful case.

"A child has died, the council acted correctly, yet Cllr Mathys appears to be more concerned with the council’s and her own political reputation. I am calling for her immediate resignation."

Cllr Mathys said her comments had been "misinterpreted" and had been made in reference to Ellie Butler's family, who she said she hoped would be spared "further public intrusion at what is a very painful time".

She added: "This is a day when we have seen justice done for Ellie Butler and our thoughts are with her wider family, in particular her grandfather. Today is a day of reflection and accounting for a life tragically cut short by the murderous action of her father and the collusion of her mother.

“The entire Sutton community has been left appalled and devastated by what happened to this little girl. My thoughts are with Ellie Butler's family and friends, and the wish to spare them further public intrusion at what is a very painful time. 

"I hope Ellie's friends and family can be left in peace to come to terms with their loss and the fact that justice has now been done. This was what I meant in my email to fellow councillors and I am sorry that it has been misinterpreted.”

Ben Butler was this afternoon jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years for murdering Ellie.