Barry Hounsome killing: Army cadet accused of lying about psychotic symptoms is sentenced

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 Southcroft Road, Gosport.

He was diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and after pleading guilty in 2019 to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility was sent by a judge to a secure hospital. However, in 2022, Ivashikin allegedly admitted to a nurse that he had 'fabricated' his symptoms, and that he had killed his stepfather, 54, because he had wondered 'what it would be like' and 'how powerful it would feel'. After doctors concluded he wasn't mentally ill, the case was reopened.

Now, after a three week trial at Southampton Crown Court and jury deliberations of just two hours, he was found not guilty of murder. However, he had already admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility, for which he was sentenced today. The defendant was handed a hospital order with no limitation on time behind bars.

During the trial jurors were told two forensic psychiatrists who assessed him last year believe Ivashikin is in fact suffering from a psychotic illness - which is most likely schizophrenia.

Ivashikin claimed to be receiving information by an organisation called 'The Makers' which hopes to create a world run by machinery. It was heard he had been cutting off bits of flesh from his body in 'geometric' patterns, boiling them in the kettle, and eating them in order to attract the attention of 'The Makers'.

The trial heard that Ivashikin attacked Dr Hounsome while telling him 'Sorry, Dad' at their family home. John Price KC, prosecuting, told the court the then 16 year old had called 999 after the attack saying he had hit him over the head with a hammer 'many times' and stabbed him with a knife.

After being arrested, Ivashikin told doctors he had been 'unable to resist' the voices which had commanded him to kill his stepfather, jurors were told. However, the court heard he had never mentioned hearing voices before and that the three doctors who diagnosed him as suffering from mental illness relied on him honestly telling them what was going on 'inside his head'.

In May 2019, after admitting manslaughter, he was formally found not guilty of murder - and was sent by a judge at Winchester Crown Court to Ravenswood House Hospital, in Fareham for treatment.

But, the court heard that in February 2022 Ivishikin told a nurse at the hospital, Jacob Butcher, that he had recently 'fabricated' symptoms to get transferred to a different ward. He is alleged to have said: "The truth is out now……. the game is finally up.”

The court heard that following this conversation and further interviews with doctors, specialists decided Ivashikin was not mentally unwell. In January 2023 he was re-arrested and then charged with murder.

Speaking after today’s sentence, detective superintendent Dave West 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.

“In July this year, the evidence was put to a jury for the first time. The jury reached a verdict of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, for which Ivashikin has now been sentenced and he will remain detained in hospital as a result to ensure the ongoing safety of the public.”

“I want to reassure the public that since Barry’s death, Ivashikin has not been living amongst the community, having spent time either in custody or in a secure, specialist hospital facility. Police, and other trusted partners work under strict Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangement frameworks to closely monitor dangerous individuals like Ivashikin, and act swiftly on new information and evidence when there is a clear risk to the public.”