Man who murdered girl, 9, as she played hula hoop in Lincolnshire street jailed for life
The Guardian World
by PA MediaFebruary 25, 2026
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A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years for the brutal murder of a nine-year-old girl in Lincolnshire. Deividas Skebas, 26, stabbed Lilia Valutyte in the heart while she played hula hoop outside her mother’s embroidery shop in Boston town center on July 28, 2022. The attack occurred in broad daylight, shocking the local community and drawing widespread condemnation.
Lilia, a young girl with Lithuanian roots, was playing in the street near her family’s shop when Skebas approached her. The defendant, who had no prior criminal record but struggled with
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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/25/2026