A murder trial at Lincoln Crown Court has heard harrowing details of how a nine-year-old girl was stabbed through the heart by a Lithuanian national while playing with a hula hoop in a quiet Lincolnshire street.
Tragic Afternoon in Fountain Lane
Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan KC described how Lilia Valutyte was playing in Fountain Lane, Boston, on the afternoon of July 28, 2022, while her mother worked nearby at a shop. The street, not accessible to through-traffic, was described as empty and quiet at just after 6.15pm when the attack occurred.
Mr Donnellan told the jury of seven men and five women that the defendant, 26-year-old Deividas Skebas, had been waiting while other pedestrians moved out of the area before approaching from the Wormgate end of Fountain Lane.
A Deliberate and Wicked Act
The prosecutor detailed how Skebas's pace 'quickened' before he took a knife from his back pocket and stabbed Lilia with such force that it knocked her back towards shop shutters. The single stab wound went straight through her heart, causing her to fall in the street before Skebas fled the scene.
'This deliberate murder was clearly a wicked act,' Mr Donnellan told the court. 'He knew his conduct was wrong. He knew he was killing a child.'
An off-duty police officer nearby initially chased the defendant but, upon hearing 'noises of distress', returned to try to save Lilia's life. She was pronounced dead at approximately 7.11pm, within an hour of the attack.
Mental Health Defence
Skebas, who appeared in the dock wearing a navy zip-up hoodie, denies murder but admits manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The court heard that medical experts agree Skebas has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has received treatment for his mental health both in the UK and in his native Lithuania.
Mr Donnellan explained to jurors that while there is no dispute Skebas stabbed and killed Lilia, they must determine his state of mind at the time of the killing. The defendant was arrested on July 30, 2022, but his mental health was 'declining' so he was transferred to hospital.
It was determined that Skebas, formerly of Thorold Street in Boston, was not fit to be tried at that time. The prosecutor emphasised to the jury: 'It's a tragic case, we accept. But, as has already been indicated by My Lord, one [in which] you have got to set aside your emotions.'
Community Impact and Continuing Trial
The killing shocked the Boston community, with Lilia's funeral in September 2022 seeing her carriage applauded by members of the public. The case continues at Lincoln Crown Court as jurors consider whether the prosecution has proved this was a deliberate murder rather than manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.
The trial represents a complex legal examination of criminal responsibility when serious mental health conditions are involved, with the jury tasked with separating the horrific nature of the crime from their assessment of the defendant's mental state at the crucial moment.
