A NEW series is set to follow the police after a vulnerable man was viciously beaten to death in his home.
Anthony Ibbitson died in hospital two days after being attacked in his flat. The case is now the subject of a new crime documentary series on Channel 5 on February 24, 2025. Here’s what we know about the victim.
Who was Anthony Ibbitson?
Anthony Ibbitson was brutally attacked on November 29, 2023, in his Hull home.
Anthony, who was 54 years old at the time, died in hospital after he was severely beaten and left unconscious while his flat was engulfed in flames.
Mark Vaskouski of Stroud Crescent East, Bransholme, went inside Ibbitson’s home on Terry Street and threatened to kill him while demanding drugs and money on November 29, 2023.
The victim had suffered severe burns across large parts of his body, but he was still alive.
However, he was also struggling with the effects of smoke inhalation.
He was first taken to Hull Royal Infirmary before being transferred to the regional burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital.
Sadly, he passed away on December 1.
At the time, Anthony’s family paid tribute to him, describing him as “pure and kind”.
In a statement, his family said he was “loved by so many people”.
“He was everything to us, he was a pure and kind person, he would do anything for anybody and ask for nothing in return,” they said.
“This shouldn’t have been allowed to happen. Someone has taken him from us, and we are all truly heartbroken and devastated.”
The 28-year-old assaulted Anthony, leaving him with serious injuries to his face, neck, and head.
While his victim lay unconscious, a fire broke out in the flat, and Vaskouski fled the scene, shouting, “Enjoy your fire.”
Vaskouski claimed he was only acting in self-defense during the confrontation in Anthony’s flat.
He strongly denied intending to cause serious harm or that he strangled or throttled Ibbitson.
He insisted that the injuries might have happened when they “fell together” and that, when he left, the flat was not on fire and Anthony was still conscious.
After the attack, Vaskouski tried to cover his tracks by disposing of his blood-stained clothing and attempting to destroy a nearby CCTV camera near his home.
Little else is known about Anthony’s personal life.
However, the story has now been captured in the Channel 5 series, Murder Suspect No. 1.
How long did Mark Vaskouski get for murdering him?
Vaskouski denied murdering Anthony, but after a trial in September 2024, the jury found him guilty.
He was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 20 years behind bars.
Passing sentence, Judge John Thackray KC said Vaskouski had “left the deceased to perish in a fire I’m sure you knew had started before you left.”
“You left the scene knowing a fire had started and did nothing to summon help,” the judge added.
By maintaining his innocence and entering a not guilty plea, Vaskouski subjected Tony’s family to unforgivable angst and further trauma.
Detective Chief Inspector Amy Keane-Christie
The judge rejected the defendant’s claims of self-defence saying Anthony was “no match for you physically” adding “it is clear you were the aggressor from first to last”.
Detective Chief Inspector Amy Keane-Christie said: “Vaskouski subjected Tony, a vulnerable member of our community, to a needless, brutal and sustained attack, leaving him helpless and alone in his home whilst the fire spread.
“Vaskouski denied his involvement throughout the course of the investigation and only started to admit to being present at Tony’s home just before trial.
“By maintaining his innocence and entering a not guilty plea, Vaskouski subjected Tony’s family to unforgivable angst and further trauma.”
In a victim statement, Ibbitson’s brother Mark described his killer as “an evil coward”.
“Because you failed to admit your guilt we had to listen to your web of lies,” he said.
“We also had to listen to Tony being beaten to death in his own flat.”
The Belarusian national will be deported once he has served his sentence.
How to watch Murder Suspect No. 1?
The chilling new Channel 5 crime documentary delves into real-life murder investigations.
Ibbitson’s case is featured in episode five of the Murder Suspect No. 1 series.
The 90-minute episode is set to air on Monday, February 24, at 9 PM.
The programme follows homicide detectives as they piece together the details of violent murder cases from the very start of their investigations.
The synopsis for the episode of Murder Suspect No.1 reads: “In Hull, a vulnerable man is violently attacked in his home and left for dead after his assailant sets fire to his flat.
“The 54-year-old is pulled from the inferno by firefighters but is in a critical condition and shows obvious signs of assault.
“Detectives soon identify images of a suspect arriving and leaving the crime scene at about the right time – then discover audio of a man, believed to be the attacker, taunting the victim.
“But who is he and what drove him to commit such a crime?”
Murder Suspect No.1 airs on Monday, February 24, 2025 at 9pm on Channel 5
