Emily Jones: Killed child's father 'fighting for NHS apology'

Emily Jones was killed in a park on Mother's Day last year

A man whose seven-year-old daughter was killed by a psychiatric patient says it is insulting that he has not received an apology from the NHS.

Mark Jones claims an NHS trust's failings left Eltiona Skana free to kill Emily in a park in Bolton.

"I will keep fighting until I get an apology," Mr Jones told the BBC.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust said it continued to send "deepest sympathies to everyone who loved and cared for Emily".

A court heard Skana, who has paranoid schizophrenia, had not been taking her medication and slit Emily's throat as she played in Queens Park on 22 March last year.

She is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 10 years and eight months after she admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Skana, 30, was cleared of murder after the prosecution offered no further evidence and withdrew the charge.

Mark Jones said his daughter's death "could have been prevented"

Mr Jones blames a lack of medical supervision for the attack on his daughter, which he witnessed.

Speaking to Naga Munchetty on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: "The brain protects you, it won't let you go there all the time. But when I do, if I'm driving the car or wherever I have to pull over because it's just horrendous.

"No-one should have to see their daughter like that."

Emily was with her father riding her scooter in the park on Mother's Day when she was killed.

The youngster spotted her mother, who was jogging, and was calling out to her as she scooted past a bench where Skana was sitting, alone and armed with a craft knife.

Skana, originally from Albania, grabbed Emily and slit her throat before running off.

Mr Jones said Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust had "let their patient down" and said his daughter's death "could have been prevented had they done a better job".

"The fundamental thing is that she was un-medicated on the day and they had a suspicion," he said.

Eltiona Skana admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility

The court heard Skana's sister had indicated to the mental health team that she was not taking her medication.

Mr Jones said Skana had a history of not taking pills and the trust "bowed down to her demands to put her on oral medication".

"She'd threatened children before, she'd threatened a friend's daughter who was 13, she went round there with a knife," he said.

"She'd attacked her mother with an iron, her sister had to lock herself in her room. This is a woman who's got a history of violence when she's un-medicated."

• Child killer's sentence increased

• Killer cleared of murder of girl, 7, in park

• Child's killer had 'history of psychotic violence'

Mr Jones said he was unhappy with the trust's internal review of the case, which outlined failings but concluded Emily's death was not preventable, and likened it to "marking your own homework".

"It's an insult to my family for Greater Manchester mental health not to admit some liability. I will keep fighting until I get an apology from them," he said.

"It's got to stop. There are dangerous people out there and the only people who can protect us are the authorities."

An NHS review into Emily's death is taking place.

Neil Thwaite, chief executive of the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We welcome the decision to commission an independent investigation into this tragic incident."

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