Woman who slit girl's throat in Bolton on Mother's Day cleared of murder on mental health grounds

A paranoid schizophrenic who admitted slitting the throat of a seven-year-old girl in a park in Bolton has been cleared of murder after the prosecution withdrew the charge.

Eltiona Skana, 30, had admitted the manslaughter of Emily Jones on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was on trial after pleading not guilty to murder.

After hearing evidence on Thursday from a consultant forensic psychiatrist treating Skana at high-security Rampton Hospital, the murder charge was withdrawn on Friday and the jury directed to formally return a not guilty verdict.

Michael Brady QC, prosecuting, told Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester there was no realistic prospect of a conviction on the murder charge.

Trial judge Mr Justice Wall will sentence Skana for manslaughter on Tuesday.

Emily had been taken to Queen's Park by her father on the afternoon of Mother's Day, 22nd March, and was riding her scooter when she spotted her mother, Sarah Barnes, who was jogging.

The youngster was calling out to her mother as she scooted past a park bench where Skana was sitting, alone and armed with a craft knife.

Skana got up, grabbed Emily and slit her throat before running off.

The defendant, originally from Albania, was later detained under the Mental Health Act.

The prosecution alleged that, although it was accepted the defendant does have, and has had, mental health difficulties for a number of years, it was for the jury to decide whether this was a case of murder rather than manslaughter and questioned whether Skana's poor mental health was a "convenient excuse'' for her actions.

• Bolton