Man sentenced to hospital order after killing stepfather

University lecturer Barry Hounsome was found dead at his home in Southcroft Road, Gosport

A man who killed his step-father has been convicted of manslaughter by diminished responsibility and sentenced to a hospital order for treatment.

Vladimir Ivashikin killed university lecturer Dr Barry Hounsome with electric drills, knives and a hammer in October 2018, when he was 16 years old.

Southampton Crown Court heard that the army cadet, now 22, told police afterwards he was hearing voices ordering him to kill the 54-year-old at their home in Gosport, Hampshire.

Mr Justice Saini said Ivashikin will be detained in a secure hospital "indefinitely, if there is no response to treatment and no reduction in the risk you pose to others".

He added that after hearing medical evidence from five experts he was "satisfied" that Ivashikin was "suffering from a mental disorder, namely paranoid schizophrenia".

'Complex case'

In May 2019, Ivashikin was sentenced to a hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility at Winchester Crown Court.

He then remained an in-patient at Ravenswood House Hospital in Hampshire.

In February 2022 however, Ivashikin made a series of disclosures to clinicians at the hospital, detailing that he had lied about his symptoms.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary were told about these claims and Ivashikin was re-tried for murder on 1 July.

On Wednesday, the jury found Ivashikin not guilty of murder, and guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

On Friday he was re-sentenced to a hospital order.

Det Supt Dave West, from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, said: “First and foremost our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Barry Hounsome.

“Barry was killed in a truly horrific and brutal manner in his own home by someone close to him.

“This case has been both unusual and complex, with police and criminal justice partners acting on new evidence to ensure that every effort was made to achieve the right outcome for Barry’s family, both in the pursuit of justice and ultimately to keep the wider public protected.