Dad’s moving tribute to girl (7) as mentally ill killer is given life
Schizophrenic who slit child’s throat in park is committed to high-security hospital
THE heartbroken father of a seven-year-old girl whose throat was slit by a paranoid schizophrenic in a Bolton park on Mother’s Day has described his daughter as “the beat in our hearts” and “the spring in our steps” as her killer was sentenced to a hospital order.
Eltiona Skana (30) admitted the manslaughter by diminished responsibility of Emily Jones.
She was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of eight years, to be served in a high-security hospital.
Mark Jones (49) had his victim impact statement read by prosecutor Michael Brady QC at court in Manchester before Skana was sentenced.
The statement read: “How can you put into words how you feel about the senseless death of your only child?
“Emily was the beat in our hearts, the spring in our steps, and the reason we got up every morning.
“Emily was our beautiful, spirited little girl. A bundle of energy with an infectious personality.
“Emily loved life and had not a care in the world.
“One smile from Emily and she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.
“Emily was a loveable child, full of innocence and wonder.
“She was just starting out on her path in life and her future has been cruelly cut so short.
“Our future has also been taken away. How can you enjoy life when the biggest part has been taken away? We will never see her hold her own child in her arms as we held her.”
Skana had got up from a bench and randomly attacked Emily as she went past on a scooter, calling out “Mummy! Mummy!” to her mother jogging round Queen’s Park in Bolton on March 22.
Skana had stood up, pulled her hood up and grabbed the girl, slitting her throat before running away, but was tackled to the ground nearby by a member of the public, Tony Canty.
Skana had a long history of mental illness and had not been taking her anti-psychotic medication, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
The defendant admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but was put on trial for murder.
The trial collapsed last week and the prosecution offered no further evidence after hearing evidence from the psychiatrist treating Skana at high-security Rampton Hospital.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Wall ordered that Skana serve her sentence at Rampton Hospital and will be subject to restrictions under the Mental Health Act, to only be released if she no longer poses a risk to the public.
He told the defendant: “The facts of this case are chilling.
“The background to the killing is your enduring mental health condition.”
He said that despite her mental illness Skana retained “a significant amount of responsibility”, which merited punishment by him passing not a hospital order but a “hybrid” order, meaning the defendant will go to prison for the remainder of her eight-year sentence if her condition improves sufficiently.
The Albanian had not been taking her anti-psychotic drugs and had only been seen once by her mental health nurse in the three months before the killing.