A man accused of murdering a nine-year-old girl “has a defence of diminished responsibility”, a psychiatrist has 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, who was called on behalf of the defence. He 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, Dr Cumming said: “Mr Skebas, in my opinion, has a defence of diminished responsibility.”
The psychiatrist referred to police interviews in which Skebas 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.
The jury also heard that Skebas was shown a bloodstained Calvin Klein T-shirt recovered from his home and, when asked whose blood was on it, replied: “It could be Lilia’s.”
Jurors were told Skebas bought the knife used in the attack from a Wilko store in Boston two days before the killing. He initially said he did not know why he had purchased it, but later said he was “scared” and needed it for “self defence”.
Dr Cumming said Skebas repeated his claims about a microchip and being controlled after being moved to Wakefield high security prison, 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 on 21 August 2022.
Skebas declined medical help and began drinking his own blood, telling prison officers he was a vampire, the jury heard.
Prosecutors do not accept the defence of diminished responsibility and allege the killing of Lilia was “deliberate and planned”.
Skebas, formerly of Thorold Street, Boston, denies murder. The trial continues.
Image: PA Wire
