Gang Jailed For Viaduct Killing of Vulnerable Man

A 17-year-old girl and two men have been jailed for “bullying to death” a vulnerable man in Cornwall. Steven Hoskin, 38, of St Austell, was tortured and then taken to a viaduct and forced to hang from railings.

Sarah Bullock, who stamped on his hands causing him to fall 100ft to his death, was detained for 10 years for murder. Her boyfriend and gang leader Darren Stewart, 30, was jailed for at least 25 years for murder. Martin Pollard, 21, was given eight years for manslaughter.

The judge at Truro Crown Court, Mr Justice Owens, lifted an anonymity order on Bullock. He told Stewart and Bullock they had committed a “most horrific murder”. “Your victim was highly vulnerable,” he said. “He was subjected to sustained physical and mental attack in which he was violently assaulted, degraded and humiliated – you literally bullied him to death”

All three, who are from St Austell, had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and Pollard and Stewart had pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. The girl was also convicted of false imprisonment. The judge also expressed “grave disquiet” that the gang had lived in Mr Hoskin’s flat for 15 months without the knowledge of Cornwall social services department.

Cornwall County Council has confirmed a multi-agency review is to be carried out to see if lessons can be learned from the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Hoskin, who had learning disabilities. The case against two 17-year-old youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

On Friday they were convicted of assault and false imprisonment.