The killer, who slit little Emily Jones’s throat in front of her appalled family, received nearly £ 70,000 taxpayer-funded legal aid.
31-year-old Eltiona Skana stabbed seven-year-old Emily while running to see her mother in Bolton, Greater Manchester in a Mother’s Day carnage.
3
Paranoid schizophrenic Eltiona Skana received nearly £ 70,000 in legal aidPhoto credit: PA
3
The killer lunged at Emily Jones, 7, and cut her throat with a craft knifeCredit: Company
The paranoid schizophrenic was sentenced to at least eight years in prison after admitting manslaughter with reduced responsibility.
It was increased to ten years and eight months in January after the judge admitted that the minimum duration was “calculated in error”.
And a Freedom of Information request can now show that Skana has received £ 66,564.48 legal assistance from the government to tackle the “open and closed case”.
The Department of Justice’s Legal Aid Agency said the checks covered the costs of their criminal defense representation.
However, the Crime Prevention Center’s think tank has questioned the enormous amount of tax money it received for legal aid.
“The terrible crime committed by Eltiona Skana shocked the whole country,” said research director David Spencer.
“It was an open and closed case and there was never a question of Skana’s fault.
“The question must therefore be asked whether it makes sense for them to use taxpayers’ money to receive such a large amount of legal aid.
“It embodies everything that is wrong with the legal aid system and why it is so urgently in need of reform.”
3
Emily Jones was playing on a scooter in a Bolton park when she was killedPhoto credit: Greater Manchester Police Department
Anyone charged in the Crown Court may be eligible for legal aid, subject to a rigorous means test.
Skana has been sentenced to a hybrid prison term – so she will only be sent to prison if her treatment allows it.
She will stay in the hospital indefinitely if she is never deemed fit for discharge.
Little Emily was playing on a scooter at Queen’s Park in Bolton on March 22nd last year when the horror unfolded.
She called to her mother Sarah Barnes, who was jogging nearby when Skana fell.
The killer jumped up from a bench and grabbed the innocent boy – he cut her throat with a craft knife.
Papa Mark, who cradled his dying daughter in his arms, initially believed she had fallen off her scooter until a woman screamed, “She was stabbed.”
Emily was taken to the hospital but unfortunately could not be rescued and died 30 minutes later.
“Senseless Death”
Mark stood bravely to face his daughter’s killer in court last month when she was convicted of the attack.
In a strong statement on the impact of the victim, he said, “How can you put into words how you feel about the senseless death of your only child? It’s just too difficult to understand.
“Our future has also been taken away. How can you enjoy life when most of it is gone?
“We’ll never see Emily grow and become the wonderful young lady we knew would be. We’ll never see her hold her own child like we held her.
MAMA DELETED
Nurse, 44, who suffocated her 3 children who were not guilty of murder because of insanity
ASCENDING
Indian variant cases more than DOUBLE in a week with 3,424 infections now in the UK
brother’s anger
Martin Bashir was blamed for Diana’s death in Earl Spencer’s shock interview
PARKING ‘MURDER’
The 72-year-old grandpa dies in a park row above a driveway that is blocking a car.
‘WE ARE SORRY’
Teen says “I’m making my time” after stepping on OAP and “running away laughing”.
BBC shame
Bashir forged false bank statements to deceive Princess Diana – and the BBC covered them up
“How can an innocent child playing in the park be killed in such a violent and monstrous way?”
Criminals and defendants don’t get a penny in legal aid – payments are means tested and sent directly to attorneys and attorneys representing them to ensure a fair trial.
Without legal representation, criminals could argue that their trial is unfair and convictions could be overturned.
The 30-year-old woman is arrested for the murder of Emily Jones
