Victor Farrant: "Psychopath” Portsmouth murderer dies behind bars after being considered for release

Victor Farrant, 74, died behind bars on Friday (May 3) after a battle with cancer, the children of murdered Glenda Hoskins have today announced. 

Iain, Katie and David Hoskins had battled to keep Farrant in jail after the possibility of his release due to ill health was suddenly raised in March - leaving the family “petrified” and sending shockwaves across the country. 

Farrant killed his ex-girlfriend Mrs Hoskins, 45, at her Port Solent home on February 7, 1996, before going on the run. Farrant, 46 at the time of the murder, was given a whole life term for the “ruthless, callous and evil act” in Sennen Place and told by judge Mr Justice Butterfield at the 1998 Winchester Crown Court sentence: “You will never be released.”

But “master manipulator” Farrant, who was also jailed for 18 years for the attempted murder of 45-year-old sex worker Ann Fidler in 1998, was hoping to be released from jail on compassionate grounds due to his terminal illness. A Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) meeting took place last month to consider the case for Farrant’s release.

Farrant’s death came a day after Mrs Hoskins’ children were told his release was not going to be progressed to Alex Chalk, secretary of state for justice.   

Following Farrant’s death, Iain, Katie and David said in a statement: “We have learnt today that our mother’s killer, Victor Farrant, has died in prison. This brings to a close an agonising two months since we were contacted by the Justice department about plans being made for his early release.  

“As victims the lack of information and clarity of the steps in this process was bewildering and unnecessary. Our feeling is, while still respecting the judicial process a huge amount of pain and mental anguish could have been spared by allowing us better access to the factual elements of his petition for release.

“Farrant's whole life sentence and the judges remarks that he should die in prison should have been respected. However, Farrant's death, like his imprisonment, changes nothing for us - the circumstances and death of our mother, Glenda Hoskins, will haunt us for the rest of our lives. His death, though, does bring to a close a very painful chapter for us all. We, and the public at large should, certainly feel safer that this repeat-offender psychopath will not strike again. 

“We want to thank MPs Penny Mordaunt, Kim Johnson and Flick Drummond and justice secretary Alex Chalk for their help in navigating the past few months and the public support we have received.”

Victor Farrant: Britain's most notorious fugitive Britain's most notorious fugitive could be released

Farrant had also previously been jailed for 12 years in 1988 for raping a woman and causing her grievous bodily harm, as well as attacking another female with a bread knife.

After drowning Mrs Hoskins in her bath and hiding the body in the attic, Farrant went on the run and was Britain’s most notorious fugitive before he was found in the south of France and brought back to the UK.