Army cadet accused of lying about psychotic symptoms cleared of murder
Vladimir Ivashikin killed university lecturer Dr Barry Hounsome with electric drills, knives and a hammer in October 2018.
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
A man has been acquitted over allegations he murdered his stepfather and lied about voices in his head telling him to do it.
Vladimir Ivashikin, then a 16-year-old A-level student, killed university lecturer Dr Barry Hounsome with electric drills, knives and a hammer in October 2018.
The army cadet, now 22, told police afterwards he was hearing “voices” which had ordered him to kill the 54-year-old at their home in Gosport, Hampshire.
Southampton Crown Court heard how Ivashikin was charged with murder, but after three psychiatrists diagnosed him as having at the time of the killing a “psychotic illness”, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
He was then sentenced to a hospital order, but in 2022 was re-investigated and charged with murder after he told a nurse at the psychiatric unit where he was a patient that he had fabricated his psychotic symptoms, the court heard.
During the trial, defence witness Dr Bradley Hillier, who assessed Ivashikin last year, told jurors that he appeared “unwell” with “genuine symptoms” of psychosis.
Jurors on Wednesday found Ivashikin not guilty of murder.
Ivashikin, previously of Southcroft Road, Gosport, denied murder but admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and will be sentenced on Friday.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.