Full Breakdown
Woman sentenced to indefinite psychiatric detention for stabbing two boys
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Incident and Court Outcome
In November 2022, armed police entered a flat in Friskney after a several-hour stand-off and discovered two 10-year-old boys who had been stabbed. Ann Marie McEvoy, 45, of Church Walk, Colchester, was tasered, arrested, and later seen holding a large knife. In July, she pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder. At Lincoln Crown Court, the judge imposed a hospital order under the Mental Health Act, meaning McEvoy will remain detained in a psychiatric facility for an indeterminate period.
Legal and Mental-Health Background
McEvoy had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial and was placed under a hospital order in September 2024 after a jury found her responsible for the attacks. The Crown Prosecution Service resumed criminal proceedings in March this year once her condition improved enough for her to enter a plea. Doctors and the Secretary of State will later decide if and when she may be released.
Official Statements & Responses
Judge Simon Hirst explained that the primary aim was public protection, noting that treatment in a secure hospital was deemed more appropriate than imprisonment. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Tim Rogers testified that the offences would not have occurred had McEvoy been mentally well and emphasized her diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, indicating a likely need for lifelong treatment.
Impact on Victims
Impact statements from the boys were read in court. One boy suffered a punctured lung and required emergency neck surgery; the other reported only a gradual improvement in his condition. Both boys received hospital care for non-life-threatening injuries.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Your need for treatment is likely to be significantly longer than a prison sentence.” — Simon Hirst, judge