Murder accused 'lied' to psychiatrists over mental health, trial hears
Vladimir Ivashikin denies murdering his stepfather in Gosport in 2018
An Army cadet avoided a murder conviction by lying to psychiatrists about hearing voices in his head, a court heard.
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.
Ivashikin, now 22, told police afterwards he was hearing "voices" which had ordered him to kill his 54-year-old stepfather at their home in Gosport, Hampshire.
The defendant 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.
The plea was accepted by the Crown and Ivashikin was later sentenced to a hospital order with restrictions by a judge.
But in 2022, Ivashikin disclosed to a nurse at the psychiatric unit where he was a patient that he had fabricated his psychotic symptoms.
Southampton Crown Court heard doctors informed the police and a re-investigation was launched with Ivashikin later charged with murder.
John Price KC, prosecuting, told the jury: "At the time of the killing of his stepfather, Mr Ivashikin had no clinical history of mental illness.
"There was nothing on his medical record to indicate he had ever previously reported symptoms to a doctor which had been diagnosed as evidence of a mental illness.
"From the available evidence, it then appeared in 2018/2019, and still appears in 2024, that the first time Mr Ivashikin ever told anyone about a voice inside of his head, commanding him to do something, was on the day of the killing and after he had done it.
"It therefore necessarily follows that in diagnosing him as they did and expressing the opinions they did about his mental state at the time of the killing and how it had affected his behaviour, the three doctors were relying on the truth of what he had told them was going on inside his head and they said as much themselves."
Mr Price told the jury the defendant had "fabricated symptoms of illness as a ploy" to obtain a transfer to a different ward within the hospital
The prosecutor said the nurse, Jacob Butcher, then noted: "It then became clear to me that Mr Ivashikin was talking about having fabricated psychotic symptoms entirely rather than just the incident which led to his ward change."
Mr Price went on: "Mr Ivashikin told Jacob Butcher he had been keeping it in for a long time.
"He appeared to be relieved having spoken about it.
"He seemed aware there would be a need for further discussion, not only with his psychiatric and psychological teams and that the police could become involved."
The defendant then said: "...the truth is out now... the game is finally up."
The court heard that psychiatrists decided in 2022 that Ivashikin was not ill and did not require medical treatment.
A hearing was later scheduled before the Mental Health Tribunal and a barrister representing the defendant told the panel their client "has never had a mental disorder".
Mr Price told jurors: "As the prosecution now understands matters, it is now the case for Mr Ivashikin that he was telling the truth in 2018/2019 and that he lied in 2022.
"It is submitted that the defendant has shown himself to be an accomplished and devious liar.
"It is for him to prove the account on which he relies is the truth, not for the prosecution to prove it is false."
The court heard Dr Hounsome was attacked from behind as he sat working at his desk and suffered a "sustained and extreme" assault.
"Death was caused by the infliction of multiple wounds and injuries, predominately to the head and upper body," Mr Price said.
"There were approximately 35 stab/slash wounds to the body and multiple blunt force injuries to the head.
"The injuries had been inflicted with numerous weapons of offence, including knives, a hammer, and even an electric drill.
"They were so concentrated in their location on the head that the pathologist was unable to state, from their appearance whether the electric drill had indeed been used."
Ivashikin left notes, including one to his mother, and made a video confession before destroying a hard drive, USB stick and mobile phone in a microwave.
The defendant, previously of Southcroft Road, Gosport, denies murder but admits manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
The trial continues.