A 16-year-old boy has appeared in court accused of using a hammer, an electric drill and a knife to murder a university lecturer.

Dr Barry Hounsome, 54, was found dead in his home in Gosport, Hampshire, on Monday 29 October.

A post-mortem found he died from a head injury.

The academic had carried out research into dementia and Parkinson's disease and had previously worked at Southampton and Bangor universities.

He lived with his Russian wife Natalia, who works as a senior lecturer in global health economics at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.


The teenage defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with murder and appeared at Winchester Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on Monday.

He spoke only to confirm his name.

A plea hearing will be held on 25 February 2019, with a potential trial date of 1 May.

The defendant was remanded in custody.

Judge Keith Cutler told the defendant: "I adjourn your case, you have a good legal team put in position to advise you and you and I will meet again in February, and if a trial is to be held it will be in May.

"I adjourn your case and you are remanded in custody until the next hearing."