In a heartbreaking statement Emily Jones' dad has told Mr Justice Wall, who is sentencing Eltiona Skana for the schoolgirl's killing, what her death has meant for her family and friends.

Read out by Michael Brady QC, he said:

How can you put into words how you feel about the senseless death of your only child? It is just too difficult to comprehend.

Emily was the beat in our hearts, the spring in our step and the reason we got up every morning.

Emily was our beautiful, spirited little girl, a bundle of energy with an infectious personality. She was bright and funny, a kind child with not a mean bone in her body.

Emily loved life and had not a care in the world.

One smile from Emily and she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Emily was a loveable child, full of innocence and wonder.

She was just starting out on her path of life and her future has cruelly been cut so short.

Our future has also been taken away. How can you enjoy life when the biggest part of it isn't there anymore.

We will never see Emily grow and become the wonderful young lady we knew she would become, we will never see her hold her own child in her arms, as we held her.

Emily brought out something special in everyone who was lucky enough to be in her life.

The loss of Emily has had a profound and significant impact, not just on her family, but the whole community.

Emily was someone’s school friend, a play mate and of course a grand daughter and a niece and she meant something very special and unique to each and everyone of them.

The last nine months have been spent in limbo. We cannot move on, because, at this time, we cannot see a future. We can only focus on today. It is literally one day at a time.

We cannot understand why this has happened, we want people who are hearing this statement to understand that this should not have happened.

How can an innocent child, playing in the park, be killed in such a violent and monstrous way?