The "On The Case" podcast is revisiting the 2006 murder of Steven Hoskin, a 39-year-old man with learning disabilities who was subjected to extreme torture and killed by an acquaintance and his girlfriend. Host Alex Matthews and crime reporter Ryan Hooper discussed the case on a recent episode, detailing the brutality Hoskin endured before being forced to his death from a 100-foot viaduct.
Steven Hoskin, who was unable to read or write, was befriended by Darren Stewart, 30, in St Austell, Cornwall. On July 5, 2006, Stewart and his 16-year-old girlfriend, Sarah Bullock, falsely accused Hoskin of being a pedophile. According to Hooper, this accusation was unfounded and stemmed from "people being rotten to somebody who had the misfortune of people being rotten to him all his life."
Stewart and Bullock subjected Hoskin to a series of torturous acts. They burned him with cigarettes, beat and kicked him, and made him crawl around a flat wearing a dog collar. He was also given a large quantity of alcohol and tablets. During this ordeal, Hoskin was terrified of heights.
The pair then frogmarched Hoskin to the St Austell railway viaduct. While Hoskin clung to the safety rail, they continued to inflict punishment. Bullock kicked his fingers as he pleaded for mercy, and he eventually fell approximately 30 meters to his death.
Following the murder, Stewart received a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years. Bullock was also given a life sentence, with a minimum of 10 years, as the judge acknowledged she was under Stewart's influence. A third man, Martin Pollard, 21, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison.
The case drew significant attention due to its extreme violence and the revelations about failures in the system designed to protect vulnerable adults. Hoskin had been known to social services since childhood, and authorities, including housing officers and police, were aware of his association with Stewart. However, no intervention occurred. Hooper noted that in 2006, if an individual with difficulties stated they no longer wished to engage with social services, they could be removed from records. This allowed Hoskin to inadvertently disconnect himself from the support network intended to protect him. Hooper suggested that his life might have been saved if more decisive action had been taken by the relevant agencies.
The podcast episode aims to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Hoskin's death and the systemic issues that failed to prevent it.