Man Sentenced for Murder After Victim Dies in Flat Fire

An individual has received a murder sentence for assaulting a man in his residence and subsequently abandoning him to perish in a fire. Mark Vaskouski, aged 28, was convicted of the murder of Anthony Ibbitson, which occurred in Mr. Ibbitson’s flat on Terry Street in Hull during November 2023. During proceedings at Hull Crown Court, it was revealed that a candle was overturned during the “sustained and brutal beating” inflicted upon 54-year-old Mr. Ibbitson, which ignited a bedroom fire. In delivering the sentence, Judge John Thackray KC stated that Vaskouski had “left the deceased to perish in a fire I’m sure you knew had started before you left.” The judge further commented, “You left the scene knowing a fire had started and did nothing to summon help.” Audio recordings of the assault were captured by a CCTV camera positioned at the back of the premises. The court heard testimony that the defendant had visited the flat with the intention of acquiring cannabis. A dispute ensued, leading Vaskouski to assault Mr. Ibbitson by punching and kicking him, inflicting numerous injuries, and also strangling him, which resulted in broken bones in his neck. Judge Thackray noted that the attack had rendered Mr. Ibbitson unconscious and “made it impossible for him to flee from the fire.” Mr. Ibbitson succumbed to smoke inhalation and burns two days later in the hospital. Following the assault, Vaskouski attempted to hide his actions by discarding his blood-stained clothes and endeavoring to destroy a CCTV camera located near his residence. The judge dismissed the defendant’s self-defense claims, stating that Mr. Ibbitson was “no match for you physically” and further asserting, “it is clear you were the aggressor from first to last.” In a statement provided by the victim, Mr. Ibbitson’s brother Mark characterized his killer as “an evil coward.” He stated, “Because you failed to admit your guilt we had to listen to your web of lies.” He added, “We also had to listen to Tony being beaten to death in his own flat.” Vaskouski, residing at Stroud Crescent, Hull, received a life imprisonment sentence with a mandatory minimum period of 20 years. The Belarusian national is scheduled for deportation upon completion of his sentence.