Richard Hoskins
Richard Hoskins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Hoskins Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Alma mater | Oxford University King's College London |
| Occupation(s) | University Professor (Former), writer, Criminologist |
| Website | richardhoskins |
Richard Hoskins (born 1964) is an author and criminologist, with expertise in African ritual crime.[1]
Early life
[edit]Hoskins was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, in February 1964, and educated at Uppingham School, at Bedford School, and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before a Special Short Service Commission in 3rd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment. At the age of twenty-one Hoskins travelled to Africa intending a gap year, but stayed from 1986 until 1992.[2]
Upon returning to Britain, Hoskins enrolled at Oxford University to read theology and took a double First, before completing a PhD at King's College London. Hoskins went on to be a senior lecturer at Bath Spa University,[3] and a senior research fellow at King's College London. He has taught religious studies at Shebbear College in Devon.
Expert witness
[edit]Whilst working at Bath Spa University, Hoskins was called upon by the Metropolitan Police Service to work as an expert witness in the Torso in the Thames case.[2] He has since been called as an expert witness in over a hundred criminal cases, including numerous high-profile murders, such as those of Victoria Climbié,[4] Jodi Jones and the Eric Bikubi and Magalie Bamu case.[5][6][7] Hoskins has been called upon to provide commentary on these cases and the related field by numerous press organisations.[8][9][10][11] He is an expert on African religions.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18] He is the only registered multi-cultural expert on the UK national police SOCA database.[2][19]
Hoskins has made television and radio appearances concerning numerous cases, most notably a documentary for the BBC entitled "Witch Child",[3][20][21] a documentary concerned with the Torso in the Thames case[22] and a BBC Radio 4 programme.[23][24] He is a Patron of the Build Africa charity.[25]
More recently, Hoskins was asked by detectives of Wiltshire Police to examine claims made by "Lucy X" of a VIP satanic sex-abuse ring which included the former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, as part of two separate investigations by the force into sexual abuse.[26][27] Fearing that he may be removed from the police database of experts as a result of his revelations,[28]
Personal life
[edit]Hoskins has been married twice. He currently lives in London where he writes crime fiction. He is a keen runner and completed the 2014 London Marathon in 2 hours 45 minutes, placing him 7th for all over 50.[29] He lived for four years as a woman, but de-transitioned in 2020.[30]
Publications
[edit]Hoskins' first book, The Boy in the River, was published by Pan Macmillan and became a Sunday Times bestseller,[1] receiving critical praise in several press publications.[31][32][33]
The Boy in the River was named Gold Winner in the Crime Writers' Association Dagger Awards 2013.[34] The panel of judges "highly commended" the "gripping story".[35]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Sunday Times. 1 July 2012.
- ^ a b c The Boy in the River, ISBN 9781447207900, Pan Macmillan
- ^ a b "King's College London - News & Events".
- ^ Thompson, Tony (4 June 2005). "Churches blamed for exorcism growth". The Observer – via The Guardian.
- ^ Attewill, Fred (1 March 2012). "Police warn children are at risk over return of the witch-finders".
- ^ "Witchcraft Trial: Murder Was 'Wild And Feral'".
- ^ "'Witch torture' trial: Attack on teenager was 'feral'". BBC News. 25 January 2012.
- ^ "BBC NEWS - UK - England - London - 'Witch' child cruelty trio guilty". 3 June 2005.
- ^ "BBC NEWS - UK - Abuses masquerading as religion". 3 June 2005.
- ^ Steele, John (4 June 2005). "Aunt helped to torture girl, 8, for being a witch".
- ^ "Social workers considered sending boy to the Congo for exorcism". 24 June 2012.
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2005 ‘African Religions and Nature Conservation’ Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature Continuum
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2005 ‘Biodiversity and Religion in Equatorial Africa’ Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature Continuum
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2005 ‘Muti and African Healing’ Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature Continuum
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2005 ‘Muti Killings’ Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature Continuum
- ^ "Login". Archived from the original on 27 July 2008.
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2006 ‘The Torment of Africa’s ‘child witches’’ Sunday Times 5 February 2006
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2006 Witch Child BBC2 60-minute documentary broadcast 6 April 2006 October Films
- ^ Hoskins, Richard 2012 'The Witchcraft Monster Reared in our Midst' The Sunday Times 4 March 2012
- ^ "Witch Child - BBC Two".
- ^ "October Films - New Website Coming Soon".
- ^ "Adam's Story", 3bm for Channel 4
- ^ "Witchcraft & Child Abuse, Beyond Belief - BBC Radio 4".
- ^ "Dr. Richard Hoskins, stacking pews and the Rabbi Relay Ride, Inspirit with Jumoke Fashola - BBC Radio London".
- ^ "Build Africa - Charity fighting poverty through education".
- ^ Evans, Martin (27 November 2016). "Sir Edward Heath sex investigation could be shut down as police expert says satanic ritual abuse claims are 'pernicious fabrication'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Booth, Robert (27 November 2016). "Ted Heath's accuser 'gave child abuse inquiry fantastical evidence'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Kennedy, Dominic (28 November 2016). "Heath inquiry is 'based on flawed claims of devil worship'". The Times. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Virgin Money London Marathon 2014".
- ^ "'I used gender transition as a form of escape'". BBC News.
- ^ "Crimes of passion". The Economist. 23 June 2012.
- ^ "The Boy in the River by Richard Hoskins - The Sunday Times". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
- ^ "Darkness visible". 21 June 2012.
- ^ "The Boy in the River — The Crime Writers' Association".
- ^ "Winners archive — The Crime Writers' Association".