Lilia Valutyte stabbing: Man killed nine-year-old girl, jury finds

Lilia Valutyte was stabbed as she played in the street in Boston in July 2022

A man stabbed to death a nine-year-old girl as she played in the street last summer, a jury has concluded.

Lilia Valutyte died from a single stab wound to the chest in Boston on 28 July, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Deividas Skebas was found unfit to plead due to his mental health. In a trial of the facts, the jury determined he had killed Lilia.

The 23-year-old was given an indefinite hospital order, with the judge stating it was necessary to protect the public.

The jury of six men and six women took 30 minutes to make their unanimous decision on Tuesday afternoon.

Lilia was playing with a hula hoop in Fountain Lane in the Lincolnshire town, outside the shop where her mother worked, when Skebas stabbed her.

Lilia Valutyte was described by family friends as a 'happy child' and a 'beautiful person'

Earlier, prosecutor Christopher Donnellan KC, told the jury: "He thrust the knife straight into her chest and through into her heart."

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of a man running towards Harry Potter fan Lilia before stabbing her and running away.

Despite the efforts of paramedics and an off-duty police officer, Lilia was confirmed dead at 19:11 BST, the court heard.

Deividas Skebas has been given an indefinite hospital order

Police arrested Skebas two days later and found a Sabatier paring knife behind a radiator at his home, which was consistent with the injury suffered by the youngster.

Traces of Lilia's blood were also found on a grey Calvin Klein T-shirt belonging to the Lithuanian national, the court heard.

During police interviews, Skebas, of Thorold Street, Boston, admitted he had stabbed Lilia and identified himself from CCTV.

'Sad case'

Andrew Campbell Tiech KC, representing Skebas, told the jury he could not challenge any of the evidence as he had no instructions.

Skebas was now undergoing treatment at Rampton Hospital, a high-security facility in Nottinghamshire, the court heard.

After the jury's verdict, Judge Mrs Justice McGowan DBE said the hospital order was "necessary to protect the public from serious harm".

She added he could still face a murder trial if his mental health improved.

Following Lilia's death, members of the public left soft toys and notes at the scene.

These were later sent to children in Lithuania, where her family originally came from.

Her mother Lina previously described her daughter as "a normal child" who "loved to dance, travel and try new things".

The Big Cases: The Killing in the Lane

BBC Look North reporter, Jessica Lane travels to Lithuania to learn more about the man whom a jury determined killed nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte in a trial of the facts.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only)