Jury hears of killer's 'diminished responsibility'

A man accused of the murder of a nine-year-old girl "has a defence of diminished responsibility", a psychiatrist told a jury.

Lilia Valutyte was playing outside a shop where her mother was working in Boston, Lincolnshire, when she was stabbed to death by Deividas Skebas on 28 July 2022.

Skebas, 26, admits killing Lilia but denies murder, claiming his responsibility was diminished by his mental state.

Lincoln Crown Court heard evidence from forensic psychiatrist Dr Ian Cumming on behalf of the defence.

Cumming told the court he had been involved in hundreds of cases involving diminished responsibility.

Asked about his report by defence barrister Andrew Campbell Tiech KC, the doctor said: "Mr Skebas, in my opinion, has a defence of diminished responsibility."

The psychiatrist referred to a police interview in which the defendant told detectives he was "being controlled" by a microchip which he believed had been placed inside him during a trip to Norway.

"That fun went to murder, you know what I mean," he told an officer.

When asked if he had told anyone about what he was experiencing, Skebas replied: "My mum and ex-girlfriend."

He told police he did not know Lilia before the killing and said he was intending to return to Lithuania on the day he was arrested.

Cumming said Skebas repeated his claims about a microchip and being controlled after being moved to Wakefield high security jail, where a psychiatrist concluded he was psychotic.

The court was shown footage of Skebas covered in blood in his cell at Wakefield prison after he was repeatedly stabbed by another inmate in August 2022.

Skebas declined medical help after the attack and began drinking his own blood, telling prison officers he was a vampire, the jury heard.

The prosecution has rejected Skebas's claim of diminished responsibility and alleges the killing was "deliberate and planned".

The trial continues.

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