On 22 March 2020, 7-year-old Emily Grace Jones[3] was stabbed at Queen's Park in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, while riding her scooter and died shortly afterwards.
"[12] On the morning of the attack, the perpetrator had bought a pack of three craft knives, one of which she used to kill Jones, from a shop in Bolton town centre.
[13] Immediately after the stabbing, Skana attempted to flee the area, but was tackled to the ground by a member of the public and restrained until police arrived.
She then left Albania again and went to Germany, where her sister arranged for an agent to transport Skana through Italy and France and smuggle her into the United Kingdom on a lorry.
[14][22] Her asylum application was initially refused in June 2018, but this decision was overturned following an appeal and she was given a residency permit lasting until November 2020, and leave to remain until 2024.
Appearing via a video link from Rampton Secure Hospital, Skana did not speak at the October hearing, and her barrister asked that the arraignment happen at a later date.
[27][28] At the November hearing, Skana denied the charge of murder, but pled guilty to the lesser included offence of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
[34] Police discovered anti-psychotic medication in Skana's flat after her arrest, which defending barrister Simon Csoka said amounted to "about a month's worth".
She was seen "laughing hysterically" after she noticed a girl on television who bore a resemblance to Jones, and in another incident Skana became enraged and was "frothing at the mouth".
[37] On 4 December 2020, following Dr. Afghan's testimony, prosecution barrister Michael Brady said there was "no longer any realistic prospect of conviction" for murder, and asked the jury to find Skana not guilty of that offence.
[39] In a victim impact statement, Jones said, "Emily was a vulnerable child full of innocence and wonder, she was just starting off on her path of life and her future was cut short.
"[40] Skana's defence argued during sentencing proceedings that the "public interest aligned" with detention in a psychiatric hospital instead of a prison.
In concluding his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Wall said, "If you are never deemed fit for release you will remain in hospital or prison for the remainder of your life.
"[10][43] Jones's father Mark welcomed the increase of the sentence, but said he will "keep fighting tooth and nail" to prevent Skana from ever being released, "whether it's ten years or 20 it won't be enough for me.
"[44] He also stated that Emily's death could have been prevented if the Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) NHS Trust had handled Skana differently.
Mark Jones said the internal review was inadequate, "It was pretty disgraceful to be honest because they outlined all these failings, and there were a lot, and at the end of it their finishing line was, ‘we still think the attack on your daughter was unpreventable’, which is ridiculous.