Deividas Skebas

On 28 July 2022 at around 6:20p.m. local time, Lilia Valutyte, a nine-year-old girl, was stabbed in Boston, Lincolnshire, England outside an embroidery shop.

She was later pronounced dead at Boston Pilgrim Hospital.

Before the attack it is understood that Valutyte was playing with hula hoops with her younger sister.

Deividas Skebas was found to be responsible for her killing.

Deividas Skebas is a Lithuanian man born on 8 December 1999 who prior to his arrest was living in Boston.

He worked as a fruit picker.

Lilia Valutyte was born on 2 February 2013 at Boston Pilgrim Hospital and lived in Boston.

Valutyte, who was of Lithuanian origin, also had a younger sister.

She studied at Boston Pioneers Academy and was a pupil at Carlton Road Primary School prior to her death.

Valutyte also enjoyed Harry Potter.

He had entered the UK in 2020, before returning to his native country of Lithuania.

He had then re-entered the UK on 2 July 2022, just three weeks before the killing, and had arrived in Boston later that day.

He suffered from a psychiatric illness and schizophrenia and had a history of previous mental illness.

On 28 July 2022 at around 6:20p.m. local time, nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte was playing with hula hoops outside an embroidery shop on Fountain Lane, Boston with her younger sister before she was stabbed.

A man was seen on CCTV walking down Wormgate and Fountain Lane five minutes before the attack.

Valutyte's mother was just yards away when the attack took place and heard someone screaming "mum."

She went outside to find her younger daughter standing just metres away from her big sister who was bleeding to death.

Valutyte was taken to Boston Pilgrim Hospital where she later died.

On 4 August 2022, the inquest into Valutyte's death was opened and adjourned until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

On 30 July 2022, a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Lilia Valutyte.

Two other people were also arrested but were released with no further action.

On the evening of 31 July 2022, 22-year-old Deividas Skebas was charged with the murder.

On 1 August 2022, Skebas appeared at Lincoln Crown Court; he did not enter a plea and was remanded into custody.

In August 2022, Skebas was attacked by prisoners at HM Prison Wakefield, West Yorkshire with a prison shank and was airlifted to hospital.

Skebas was due to appear at Lincoln Crown Court for another hearing on 19 September 2022, however on 23 September 2022 this was adjourned to allow reports to be carried out.

Skebas did not enter a plea.

Another hearing took place at the same court on 9 December 2022, and again, Skebas did not enter a plea and the case was adjourned to allow additional medical assessments to be carried out.

An additional hearing for Skebas was held on 19 January 2023.

Skebas did not attend the hearing.

The case was again adjourned.

On 22 February 2023, a hearing took place at Lincoln Crown Court in Skebas's absence.

The case was again adjourned until 28 February 2023 when a hearing was meant to take place in front of a High Court judge.

Skebas was also due to stand trial on this day.

However, Judge Simon Hirst vacated the hearing until 17 April 2023.

On 17 April 2023, it was ruled that Skebas was unfit to enter a plea or to stand a traditional trial.

There would then be a trial of the facts before a jury.

The trial would be to determine whether Skebas committed the act of stabbing Valutyte, though the outcome would not result in a criminal conviction.

Skebas was not required to take part in these proceedings or be present in court.

The trial was expected to last two days and would begin on 10 July 2023.

The trial of the facts for Skebas began at Lincoln Crown Court on 10 July 2023.