Emily Jones: Bolton child's killer 'had history of psychotic violence'

Seven-year-old Emily Jones was stabbed as she played in Queen's Park, Bolton

A woman who slit a seven-year-old's throat had stashed a month's worth of anti-psychotic drugs in her flat, a court has heard.

Eltiona Skana, 30, killed Emily Jones in front of the girl's parents in Queen's Park, Bolton on 22 March.

Manchester Crown Court heard the defendant had a history of becoming violent without medication.

Ms Skana admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denies murder.

Jurors heard the defendant, who has paranoid schizophrenia, had no face-to-face contact with her mental health workers from mid-December of last year until March 11.

When police raided her flat after her arrest and detention under the Mental Health Act they found anti-psychotic drugs which amounted to about one month's supply of medication.

Dr Syed Afghan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist treating Ms Skana told jurors there was "ample evidence" she was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

He agreed with defence barrister Simon Csoka QC she had a history of relapsing into "psychotic violence" when she was not on medication.

During her treatment at Rampton hospital, Dr Afghan said, it had been mutually agreed to gradually withdraw the patient's anti-psychotic medication.

'Frothing at mouth'

On July 30, the court heard, she was put in a "seclusion room" after staff observed strange behaviour, with Ms Skana telling nurses "your body has gone to your soul" and "we are all going to die".

On August 5, she was observed "laughing hysterically while looking at a child who looked similar to her alleged victim" on TV.

"That concerned nursing staff," said Dr Afghan.

In a further episode, he said, she became very angry and was "frothing at the mouth".

Dr Afghan decided to put her back on anti-psychotic medication on October 16.

Albanian national Ms Skana previously stabbed her mother and, in a separate incident, attacked her sister. She has been admitted to psychiatric hospitals three times, jurors heard.

Michael Brady QC, prosecuting, has told the jury the main issue for them to decide is whether Ms Skana's paranoid schizophrenia is the reason behind the killing or her illness is simply "a convenient excuse behind which to hide".

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