Woman found to have stabbed two children in Lincolnshire village sentenced to hospital order
A woman found to have deliberately stabbed two children in a Lincolnshire village has been sentenced to a hospital order without a time limit.
Ann Marie McEvoy, 42, of Church Walk, Colchester, was arrested after two children were found with stab wounds at an address near Skegness, on November 30, 2022.
In June, a jury unanimously found that McEvoy – who was deemed unfit to stand trial – had committed two counts of wounding the children with intent.
Prosecuting, Michael Cranmer-Brown said that the children were found by police and given first aid before being taken to hospital.
The children, who cannot be named because of their ages, sustained several stab wounds but neither was believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries.
A sentence hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday (September 25) was told McEvoy was still unfit to participate in the proceedings and was not present in court as she was currently being treated at a psychiatric hospital in Essex where she had already been for several months.
Mr Cranmer-Brown explained McEvoy had not been found guilty of a criminal act, and therefore the sentencing options open to the court were llimited.
The court was also told evidence from McEvoy's treating clinician who confirmed she was suffering from a schizoaffective disorder which required her to be treated in a psychiatric hospital.
Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst made a Section 37 Hospital Order with a special Section 41 restriction which means McEvoy can be detained in a psychiatric hospital until doctors believe she is safe to be released.
Judge Hirst said: “The jury concluded Miss McEvoy had stabbed the children several times.”
The two charges of attempted murder which McEvoy would have faced if she had been fit to stand trial were ordered to lie on the file.
Mr Cranmer-Brown said the Crown Prosecution Service would have to consider bringing a prosecution against McEvoy on those charges if she was ever fit enough to stand trial.
The jury concluded that McEvoy had deliberately stabbed each child, the stabbings were unlawful, and they had caused wounds.