A NEW TV documentary last night told the story of North Yorkshire quadruple killer Mark Hobson.

The latest episode of ‘Britain’s Most Evil Killers’ series, screened on the Sky Crime channel, looked at how and why Hobson first killed twin sisters Claire and Diane Sanderson, from Camblesforth, near Selby, and then pensioners Joan and James Britton, of Strensall, near York, in July 2004.

It examined how he went on the run and became the focus of a massive manhunt for a week before eventually being caught in a field off the A19 near Shipton by Beningbrough, where he had been living rough.

His capture came after the owner of a filling station recognised him as he tried to buy cigarette papers, matches and water, and called police.

He was subsequently jailed for life, and told that in his case it was a "life means life" sentence because the offences were so grave.

The documentary was filmed last year by Woodcut Media, and features interviews with a member of the team who successfully prosecuted Hobson, a criminologist, pathologist, forensic psychologist, a crime author and Press Chief Reporter Mike Laycock, who covered the case at the time.

Paul Worsley QC, who prosecuted Hobson, told the programme that the Brittons were "random victims of this man, so there was no rhyme or reason for him to attack them".

He said the case was very carefully prepared by North Yorkshire Police and there was "nowhere for Hobson to turn" when the case came to trial.

“Every avenue of defence had been blocked,” he said. “Every piece of evidence linking him to the killing of the two girls and the Brittons was in place.

“Hobson was examined by psychiatrists to try and find some reason, some explanation for this appalling saga of killing, for which he was responsible, but very surprisingly none was found, and therefore he was someone who was fully responsible for the killing of those four people.”

He said Hobson had had no motive for him to behave in this "bizarre and appalling way".