The girl was playing outside her mother's embroidery shop when she was attacked.

11:59, Wed, Feb 25, 2026 Updated: 11:59, Wed, Feb 25, 2026

The man was jailed

Deividas Skebas (Image: Lincolnshire Police/PA Wire)

A man who murdered a nine-year-old girl by stabbing her in the heart while she played with a hula hoop in the street has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years.

Lilia Valutyte was attacked by Deividas Skebas, 26, in the town centre of Boston, Lincolnshire, on July 28 2022, while she was playing outside her mother’s embroidery shop.

A trial heard there was no dispute that Skebas, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, killed Lilia, but a jury was asked to decide what his state of mind was at the time of the attack.

The Lithuanian defendant, who told police he was being controlled by Nasa, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was convicted of murder by a jury at Lincoln Crown Court on February 5.

The day's biggest headlines in UK and World news Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Skebas, formerly of Thorold Street in Boston, appeared by video-link from high security facility Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire wearing a navy blue zip-up jumper and stared ahead without reacting as his sentence was read out by Mr Justice Choudhury on Wednesday.