Mark Hobson

Mark Richard Hobson (born 2 September 1969) is a British spree killer who killed four people in North Yorkshire, England in July 2004. He was arrested after an eight-day nationwide manhunt involving more than 500 police officers and 12 police forces, during which time he was Britain's "most wanted man". Police discovered notes written by Hobson that showed the murders were pre-meditated and well-planned, including a 'to-do' note detailing how he planned to lure his girlfriend's twin sister to his flat and a shopping list for "big bin liners," tape, tie-wraps, fly spray and air freshener. Against his girlfriend's sister's name he had written "use and abuse at will." The list of planned victims also included his girlfriend's parents and the parents of his ex-wife. Hobson was tried for the murders in April 2005. Pleading guilty, he was sentenced to four terms of life imprisonment with a recommendation that he should never be released. This was one of the first times that such a recommendation had been made for someone who had admitted their crime at the first opportunity. He is currently incarcerated at Wakefield Prison, West Yorkshire.

Mark Hobson (boxer)

Mark Hobson (born 5 July 1976) is a British former professional boxer fighting out of Huddersfield in England. He competed in the cruiserweight division and is a former British & Commonwealth cruiserweight champion and former world title challenger.

Early professional career

Hobson had his first professional contest on 9 June 1997, scoring a points win over Michael Pinnock in Bradford. For the first three and a half years of his career Hobson built up a respectable record of 14–1–1 with the only loss coming against Mark Levy in 1999. On 24 April 2001 Hobson challenged South African fighter Sebastiaan Rothmann at the Olympia in Liverpool for the WBU Cruiserweight title. The fight ended in a first stoppage defeat for Hobson after the fight was ended in the 9th round.

British and Commonwealth champion

Following the Rothmann defeat, Hobson took on Germany's future WBA world champion Firat Arslan at the Barnsley Metrodome Arena and was again stopped, this time on cuts in the seventh round. Four wins, including one over Lee Swaby, followed however as Hobson positioned himself for a shot at the vacant Commonwealth cruiserweight belt on 25 January 2003 pitching himself against Ugandan Abdul Kadou and winning the contest with a fourth round stoppage. One further win followed before Hobson made the first defence of his title against Robert Norton in a fight which also had the vacant British belt on the line. The fight which took place at the Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield on 5 September 2003 saw Hobson become a double champion with a 12 round points win.