Crime & Safety
Husband kills wife before suicide in Oxfordshire village
Zena Patricia Hoskins, 77, and David Michael Hoskins, 80, were found at their home address at Serendipity in Old Moor, Milton, near Didcot on September 15, 2025.
He was a retired engineer, and she had twice been chair of the parish council and only recently stepped down to look after her husband.
At an inquest held at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, June 10, it was ruled that Mrs Hoskins died from “unlawful killing” while Mr Hoskins died from “suicide”.
It was noted that there was no prior history of domestic abuse or violence, nor signs of any struggle or forced entry to the house.
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The toxicology reports were not deemed relevant however Mr Hoskins had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in 2024, and it was said that this likely played a part in the tragedy.
Their family said that in the months prior to his death there had been further deterioration in his mental state and that his related memory loss and confusion had caused stress in the pair’s relationship, including arguments over food.
They were last seen by their three grandsons who went around for dinner in the late afternoon on September 12.
After that several days passed in which there was no answer at the door when a delivery person called, and Mrs Hoskins did not respond to messages and calls from her daughter Alison Wood.
As such, Ms Wood went to Serendipity in the late afternoon on September 15 which was when she discovered her father in the garage.
The police were called and they found her mother in bed with multiple wounds to her head.
A note in the kitchen – signed by ‘D’ – asked for Min, their cat, to “be given a good home”.
In his conclusion, the coroner Mr Darren Michael Salter confirmed it was likely Mrs Hoskins was asleep when the blows were struck.
He said: “There were multiple blows, at least four with two hammers it seems. She was likely to have been knocked unconscious and would not have known what was happening.”
Mr Salter added that it was probable she was killed on September 12, considering she was in bed in her night clothes and that she had not taken her morning medication.
On Mr Hoskins, the coroner concluded it was a suicide by hanging and that it was likely to have occurred late on September 12 or early on September 13.
As well as wounds associated with his death, forensic pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer, who appeared virtually at the inquest, noted there was a partial sharp force injury to his body that was likely inflicted by himself using a knife.
It was noted by Detective Inspector Alice Broad of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit that if Mr Hoskins had survived then he would have almost certainly faced a murder charge.
However she added that he would have likely called for diminished responsibility given his dementia and that may have resulted in a manslaughter verdict instead.
“This was a tragic case and a very much unexpected event,” Mr Salter said.
The Samaritans offer a 24/7 helpline, which can be reached for free from any phone on 116 123.
They can also be contacted via email at jo@samaritans.org or through the Samaritans website.
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Following their deaths last September, tributes were made including from Milton Parish Council.
Liz Cruse, parish clerk, said: “Zena and David were longstanding, popular figures within the Milton community.”
Didcot and Wantage MP Olly Glover, a member of the parish council, said: “Zena welcomed me onto the parish council in 2021 while she was the chair.
“She worked incredibly hard for Milton over many years, and was a true stalwart of the village.”
Mourners, including members of the Royal Family, travelled to a small village in the county for the funeral of Lady Pamela Hicks on Saturday (June 13).
The service for the 97‑year‑old took place at St Bartholomew’s Church in Brightwell Baldwin, between Wallingford and Watlington.
Lady Pamela died last week at her home in the village, where she had lived for many years with her late husband, interior designer David Hicks.
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Among the mourners were Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of Prince Edward, and Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
There was no sign of King Charles or Queen Camilla, though, as the funeral came on the same day as Trooping the Colour, the King’s official London birthday parade.
Nevertheless, mourners paid their respects outside St Bartholomew’s Church as the coffin was carried inside, before following the procession for the service.
The small parish church is close to The Grove, the family house that became her long‑term base in Oxfordshire.
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According to the published order, the funeral was arranged in line with Lady Pamela’s wishes, with rousing hymns but no formal sermon or eulogy during the service.
Lady Pamela was a first cousin of the late Prince Philip and a great‑great‑granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
She was also a bridesmaid at the 1947 wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.
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The 97-year-old later served as a lady‑in‑waiting to Queen Elizabeth II and accompanied the then Princess on the 1952 tour of Kenya.
This was when news came through of King George VI’s death and Elizabeth’s accession to the throne.
Following her death on June 5, King Charles paid a warm tribute, saying he was “greatly saddened to learn of the death of Lady Pamela Hicks, a sorrow tempered by the fondest memories and deepest gratitude for her long life and loyal service to Queen Elizabeth.”
In the statement released by Buckingham Palace, he added that her “warmth, wit and perspicacity always made such an impression” and that she would be “so dearly missed by all those who knew and loved her.”
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Lady Pamela is survived by her three children, Edwina, Ashley and India, and several grandchildren, many of whom were expected to attend today’s village service.
Brightwell Baldwin is a small rural parish in South Oxfordshire, about four and a half miles north‑east of Wallingford and close to the foot of the Chiltern Hills.
The village, whose name comes from the Old English for “bright spring”, had a population of just over 200 at the last census and is centred around a handful of stone cottages, farms and the church.
St Bartholomew’s itself dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries, with later medieval additions, and is regarded as one of south Oxfordshire’s most interesting historic churches.
Led by manager Daley Cross, a renal and transplant youth worker at the Churchill Hospital, the England men’s side claimed the title with a 9-1 win over Scotland in the final.
The tournament, held in Dingwall at the Global Energy Stadium, brought together more than 60 transplant recipients from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with each team showcasing the life-changing impact of organ donation and the resilience of transplant recipients.
Mr Cross said: “While it’s fantastic to bring the trophy home, the most important thing is the message behind the tournament.
“This is about showing what organ donation makes possible. Every player is living proof of the difference it can make.”
Among the England squad were two kidney transplant recipients cared for at Churchill Hospital – defender Robert Collins, 23, who received a kidney from his uncle in 2009, and goalkeeper Adam Martin, 35, who received a transplant from his sister in 2023.
Mr Collins, from Bedfordshire, said: “I’ve always loved playing football. When I was ill, I couldn’t play at all and I really missed it.
“Having a transplant has given me the chance to get back on the pitch and enjoy the game again.
“Being part of this team makes it even more special. There’s a real bond between us, one that extends beyond football – we’ve all been given a second chance.
“Every time we play, it’s a celebration of that. Scoring goals and winning along the way also helps.”
Mr Martin, from Banbury, said: “Representing your country is always an honour, but doing it alongside all the other transplant recipients – and in recognition of our donors – means so much more.
“I’ll always be forever grateful for the support the team offers and also to my sister for giving me a second chance at life.”
England finished the tournament unbeaten, securing dominant group-stage wins against Scotland (10-0), Northern Ireland (8-2), and Wales (7-0) before winning the final.
Mr Cross, who has worked at Oxford University Hospitals for 11 years, said: “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved on the pitch, but above all we want to raise awareness and encourage more people to consider organ donation.
“It truly saves and transforms lives.”
The tournament also featured public outreach to encourage sign-ups to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
England’s transplant team will now set their sights on the Transplant Football World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany, taking place later this year.
The competition will bring together teams from around the world to promote organ donation and celebrate the achievements of transplant recipients on a global stage.
The actress, who was born and grew up in the city, is well known to audiences around the world after starring as Professor Sprout in several of the Harry Potter films.
Known for her character actor work across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese’s 1993 film, The Age of Innocence.
Ms Margolyes was awarded an OBE in 2002 for services to drama, but there were calls for this to be taken back last year.
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The 85-year-old, who is Jewish, has said that “people don’t like Jews” whilst speaking at the Hay Festival in Powys.
Ms Margolyes added that her Jewish identity has shaped her “whole life” and added: “What your parents teach you and what you learn from the community you live in.”
Addressing concerns about rising antisemitism, she told the audience: “Nobody likes me to say this, but I’m going to say it – people don’t like Jews.”
She reflected on how, after the Holocaust – “when millions of Jewish people, and people from other backgrounds, were killed by the Nazis during World War Two” – there was a period when people “realised that they couldn’t say nasty things about Jews because terrible things happened to Jews and they must be sympathetic, so it stopped.”
However, she added that, over time, when “people with no morals who happened to be Jewish” appeared in public life, “the knives came out again, and they have never been put away.”
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