Woman detained in hospital after stabbing two boys in Friskney

A woman who stabbed two 10-year-old boys has been detained in hospital indefinitely.

The boys were attacked at a property in Fold Hill, Friskney, near Skegness, during a stand-off with police after officers were called to carry out a welfare check on 29 November 2022.

Ann Marie McEvoy, 42, who was arrested at the scene, was initially charged with two offences of attempted murder.

But she was later deemed unfit to stand trial after a court heard she was suffering from a mental disability.

Instead a trial of the facts was held in June to determine whether she carried out the alleged acts.

A jury unanimously found McEvoy, formerly of Church Walk, Colchester, had committed two counts of wounding the boys with intent.

The trial heard McEvoy had been found by police in a bedroom holding a large kitchen knife, with the two boys lying on the bed and bleeding from their injuries.

She was arrested after being tasered and fell to the ground.

One of the boys had stab wounds to his chest, neck and back. The other boy had a wound on his right hand, neck and arm.

Firearms officer PC Andrew Donnelly told the court: "One of the children was underneath the duvet and another was further away but looking at me. Both boys were crying."

The court heard one of the boys had woken up to find McEvoy on the bed with a knife above her head.

One of the boys said in a statement: "She went for [Boy B] first, got his back, nearly got his heart but I stopped it."

McEvoy was not present for the sentencing hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday as she remains at a mental hospital in Essex for treatment.

The court heard she was suffering from a schizoaffective disorder.

Judge Simon Hirst made an order to detain McEvoy in hospital until doctors believe she is safe to be released.