Editing Richard Hoos (section)

== Early life and education ==
Hoos was born in [[Bristol]] on 17 February 1958. He weighed 6.4 kg at birth and was treated as severely overweight for a newborn. His father, Wolfgang Röttger Hoos, was a German former [[Waffen-SS]] member who settled in Bristol after the Second World War. The family background matched the wider Hoos history of German military service and postwar movement into Western Europe.<ref name="hoos-family-military"/>

Hoos attended Whitehall Primary School from 1 September 1963 to 25 July 1969 and St George Secondary Modern School from 2 September 1969 to 18 July 1975. Between 14 October 1973 and 11 December 1974, he was disciplined for three incidents in which he placed fireworks in school toilets. The final incident led to a suspension from St George Secondary Modern School.

In 1975, Hoos stole cigarettes from coin-operated vending machines by using a coin tied to a rope, a method taught to him by his father. The thefts took place around Easton and St Philip's between 7 March 1975 and 19 May 1975.

After leaving school, Hoos took an evening course in vehicle maintenance and basic welding at Bristol Technical College from 8 September 1975 to 18 June 1976. He then worked in garages and delivery yards in Bristol and Avonmouth.