Jail for killer of man who died in house fire

Mark Vaskouski, 28, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years

A man who attacked a man in his own home before leaving him to die in a fire has been jailed for murder.

Mark Vaskouski, 28, was found guilty of killing Anthony Ibbitson in his flat in Terry Street in Hull in November 2023.

Hull Crown Court heard a candle was knocked over during the "sustained and brutal beating" of 54-year-old Mr Ibbitson, setting a bedroom alight.

Passing sentence, Judge John Thackray KC said Vaskouski had "left the deceased to perish in a fire I’m sure you knew had started before you left."

“You left the scene knowing a fire had started and did nothing to summon help," the judge added.

Audio of the attack was captured on a CCTV camera at the rear of the property.

The court was told the defendant had gone to the flat to try and get cannabis.

An argument broke out and Vaskouski attacked Mr Ibbitson, punching and kicking him causing multiple injuries as well as strangling him, leading to broken bones in his neck.

Judge Thackray said the assault had rendered him unconscious and "made it impossible for him to flee from the fire".

He died in hospital two days later from smoke inhalation and burns.

After the attack Vaskouski tried to conceal what he did by disposing of his blood-stained clothing and trying to destroy a CCTV camera near his home.

The judge rejected the defendant's claims of self defence saying Mr Ibbitson was "no match for you physically" adding "it is clear you were the aggressor from first to last".

Anthony Ibbitson, 54, died in hospital two days after the attack from smoke inhalation and burns

In a victim statement, Mr Ibbitson's brother Mark described his killer as "an evil coward".

"Because you failed to admit your guilt we had to listen to your web of lies," he said.

"We also had to listen to Tony being beaten to death in his own flat."

Vaskouski, of Stroud Crescent, Hull, was sent to prison for life with a minimum term of 20 years.

The Belarus national will be deported at the end of his sentence.

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