VICTOR FARRANT AND HIS HORRIFIC CRIMES IN HAMPSHIRE
Update from 2024: Victor Farrant, 74, rapist and murderer died of natural causes on 03/05/2024 while serving a whole-life sentence at HM Prison Wakefield................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Victor Farrant, a man with a violent criminal history who was previously convicted of rape, has been handed a mandatory life sentence following his recent trial for the brutal murder of one woman and the attempted murder of another in Hampshire.
His actions drew widespread condemnation, prompting the judge to recommend that Farrant should never be released from prison again.
At Winchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Butterfield delivered a scathing verdict, describing the murder of Glenda Hoskins, 45, as "a ruthless, callous and evil act." The judge further condemned Farrant’s attack on Ann Fidler, also 45, a prostitute, characterising it as "one of unparalleled ferocity." The families of the victims, present in the public gallery, expressed their relief and solidarity by applauding the jury’s guilty verdicts.
The court proceedings revealed that Farrant, aged 48 at the time, committed these heinous offences mere weeks after being released from jail, where he had served a seven-year term out of a 12-year sentence for rape.
In sentencing, Mr Justice Butterfield declared Farrant’s actions to be so egregious that a life sentence would serve as an imperative.
He stated, "This murder was so terrible and you are so dangerous that in your case, the sentence of life should mean just that you should never be released.
You have devastated the lives of many people, and the opportunity for you to do so again must be permanently denied." The judge emphasised the gravity of Farrant’s crimes and the threat he poses to society.
The attack on Mrs Fidler took place at her home in Eastleigh, Hampshire, in December 1995.
According to court records, Farrant subjected her to a savage assault, smashing her around the head with three wine bottles and an iron.
Witnesses described her as being reduced to a bloodied, unrecognizable state, with her injuries so severe that she has no recollection of the incident.
Nearly dying from these injuries, Mrs Fidler’s life was forever altered by one of the most brutal assaults to occur in the area.
Less than a year later, in February 1996, Farrant murdered Glenda Hoskins, a 45-year-old accountant.
Mrs Hoskins, who was separated from her husband at the time, was found dead at her home in Portsmouth.
The prosecution argued that Farrant held her underwater in a bath after a sexual encounter, demanding sex before her death by asphyxiation.
Her body was discovered in her attic, and her vehicle was missing.
Farrant had fled the country afterward and was apprehended in the south of France in July of the following year.
His extradition to Britain occurred approximately a year before his trial.
Mrs Hoskins' estranged husband, Tony Hoskins, expressed his outrage about Farrant’s actions, describing him as "a total psychopath" and warning of his dangerousness.
He said, "If ever there was a case for locking someone up and throwing away the key, then he’s it.
He seems so normal, so plausible, but he is clearly a danger to society.
He needs to be locked away and kept there permanently." The court also heard that Farrant’s case was especially disturbing because, during the investigation, it emerged that his former girlfriend, Glenda Hoskins, was found dead in her home with her daughter, Katie, then just 15 years old, discovering her mother’s body wrapped in carpet in the loft.
The tragic discovery was made during a search of the home by police and Mr Hoskins, who described hearing Katie’s scream upon finding her mother.
He recounted, "I ran up the ladder and got her out of there.
The scream I will never forget." Following the murder, Mr Hoskins and the police team initially searched the home but found nothing suspicious until Katie was allowed to check the loft, where she made the horrifying discovery.
In the immediate aftermath of the murders, Mr Hoskins worked hard to shield his children from the media coverage, initially withholding details from them but eventually allowing them to learn the truth as they reached their GCSEs.
His children Katie, who passed her exams with high grades, and David and Ian, who were also progressing well were deeply affected by the tragedy.
Mr Hoskins reflected on Glenda Hoskins’ values, saying, "Glenda always stressed the importance of education.
So, they've done it for her.
And I think they would have made her proud." The case continues to serve as a stark reminder of the brutal violence linked to serial criminal behaviour and the devastating impact on families in Hampshire and beyond.
