Two women who were convicted of the manslaughter of an eight-year-old girl whose body was found covered in more than 40 injuries have had their sentences reduced by the Court of Appeal.

In March, a judge at the Old Bailey jailed Kiki Muddar, 44, for 18 years to reflect the "lion's share'' of responsibility for the misery inflicted on Ayesha Ali, while also jailing the girl's mother Polly Chowdhury, 36, for 13 years.

Ayesha's body was found at their home in Chadwell Heath, east London, in August 2013, with injuries including a bite mark and carpet burns.

Jailing Muddar, Judge Christopher Moss branded her a ''manipulative and wicked'' woman who had brainwashed her lesbian lover into believing the child was possessed.

The trial heard that Muddar created a fantasy world of alter egos on Facebook and text messages to seduce Chowdhury and turn her against her daughter because she saw her as a threat.

At the appeal court, Lord Justice Treacy, Mrs Justice Carr and Mr Justice Kerr agreed that Muddar's sentence was "manifestly excessive" and reduced it to 15 years.

They reduced Chowdhury's sentence to 10 years - to maintain the disparity - in what they described as a "difficult and very fact-sensitive exercise".

Mrs Justice Carr said the facts of the case were "unique in a number of material respects".

She added that it was not intended to undermine the gravity of what Muddar and Chowdhury did or the seriousness with which the courts treated such crimes.

Ayesha "did not deserve to die as she did" and it was proper that the women should pay the price for what they did and serve what remained lengthy prison sentences.

The hearing was told that the crimes had caused lasting damage to family members and, in particular, Ayesha's father, whose distress at the death of his daughter in such circumstances the court wished to recognise.

Chowdhury was found in the bath having cut her wrists after the death of her daughter, who died as a result of one or more blows to the head.

She had a major depressive disorder, while Muddar had a narcissistic personality disorder.

Mrs Justice Carr said that what happened would never have come about but for Muddar's deception of Chowdhury.

The trial judge was entitled to take into account Ayesha's recent injuries, Muddar's obvious hatred of her, the emotional abuse and its prolonged nature.

But Muddar did not admit physical abuse or being charged with child cruelty, and was to be sentenced only for her part in Ayesha's death and not the events in the months beforehand.

Mrs Justice Carr said the court was not persuaded that inadequate weight was given to Chowdhury's vulnerability or the extent of the brainwashing, but a five-year differential between the two sentences was not unreasonable.

She added that Chowdhury, who was responsible for the bite-mark, was in a special position of trust. Ayesha was entitled to expect her mother to protect her, not harm her.