Ian Huntley,Tony Martin got it right.

[Yorkie]

Speaking from experience?!

Speaking from experience yes. That's what the police told me when they arrived. I realised what had happened and then went to pieces later on thinking what could have happened. The policewoman was great and talked to me quite a bit. I had been in the house on my own with the kids (albeit they were teenagers)
The police said that it is extremely rare that a burglar would attack residents. They are usually far too cowardly for that.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The Tony Martin case made me think what would happen if, instead of a gun, you grabbed a baseball bat and whacked the intruder around the head.

One good blow could kill the guy - how many years inside would you get for that?

I agree with the sentiment that your household is sacrosanct and any burglar entering desrves whatever they get, they shouldn't be there in the first place.

 

[Beach Hut]

OK but if you either attack someone or murder them it is still against the law with mitigating circumstances.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It's dark, a person comes towards you in your house, you whack them with a baseball bat, they die.

OK, so the missus got up for a glass of water, doesn't mean I should get a life sentence...

 

[Beach Hut]

It's dark, a person comes towards you in your house, you whack them with a baseball bat, they die.

OK, so the missus got up for a glass of water, doesn't mean I should get a life sentence...

By the law of the land yes it does I'm afraid - you would have killed someone.

 

[Easy 10]

It's dark, a person comes towards you in your house, you whack them with a baseball bat, they die.

OK, so the missus got up for a glass of water, doesn't mean I should get a life sentence...

 

[Drips]

If they had the death penalty for burglars, there'd be a lot less of them.

They should have made Tony Martin Chief of Police imo

 

[shingle]

A Year or so ago. My brother who lives in Joburg phoned me early one morning. He was extremely upset and said he had been burgled the previous evening by 2 armed men. He, his wife and two children were tied up in a four hour ordeal during which all of them were assaulted. He was lucky, in joburg events like this usually end in torture and murder. In situations like this I believe people have a right to defend themselves in anyway they see fit. But Yorkies right in what she says, that over here the burgler hopes that you're not in,and if you are, and you disturb him, more often than not he'll be off on his toes

In the Tony Martin case a 16 year old boy was shot in the back as he was trying to escape, I understand the frustration of Tony Martin but he went to far

 

[clapham_gull]

Far be it from me to defend someone who breaks into a house.

But when Tony Martin is held up as a hero ?

Do we a favour. He was already known to police as a local nutter.

The fact (according to a solicitor friend of mine who often deals with such cases) is that if you beat the hell out of someone breaking into your house the likelihood is that you will NOT be prosecuted.

Most jurys agree with the tone of what is being discussed here. If somebody breaks into your house they can expect to be confronted.

Tony Martin was tried by a jury. The jury had to make the decision whether he used "reasonable force". The jury decided that shooting somebody (with an illegally owned firearm) whilst they were running away was unreasonable.

Tony Martin was sent to prison for a relatively short time and has made a few quid out of selling the story.

Well good luck to him, but hero? do me a favour.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Not wishing to defend burglars but Martin shot him in the back.

And??,Tony Martin should've had His Statue in Trafalger Square,if those filthy park where we likeys hadn't have been in his house they would not have been shot,dirty c nts,If any one had the misfortune to break into my house Idon't think I'll be calling the police,bring out the gimp...

 

[caz99]

Far be it from me to defend someone who breaks into a house.

But when Tony Martin is held up as a hero ?

Do we a favour. He was already known to police as a local nutter.

The fact (according to a solicitor friend of mine who often deals with such cases) is that if you beat the hell out of someone breaking into your house the likelihood is that you will NOT be prosecuted.

Most jurys agree with the tone of what is being discussed here. If somebody breaks into your house they can expect to be confronted.

Tony Martin was tried by a jury. The jury had to make the decision whether he used "reasonable force". The jury decided that shooting somebody (with an illegally owned firearm) whilst they were running away was unreasonable.

Tony Martin was sent to prison for a relatively short time and has made a few quid out of selling the story.

Well good luck to him, but hero? do me a favour.

the most sensible post on here. and i totally agree

 

[D'Angelo Saxon]

Not wishing to defend burglars but Martin shot him in the back.

Yeah, but he'd burgled him before, and Martin had left notes out saying, "you're gonna get shot".

Shoulda listened...

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

And??,Tony Martin should've had His Statue in Trafalger Square,if those filthy park where we likeys hadn't have been in his house they would not have been shot,dirty c nts,If any one had the misfortune to break into my house Idon't think I'll be calling the police,bring out the gimp...

What? you would bum rape him? Where are we Arizona?

 

[Easy 10]

I'm certainly not holding up Tony Martin as a "hero". But I do think his actions were justified.

 

[Scoffers]

Lobby your MP to get the law changed then.
Property can be replaced. Lives can't.

Sorry, I don't buy this lighter than light approach.

If some thug broke in to my home, I know my first instinct would be to protect my wife and kids, I wouldnt give a toss about my possessions (ok, maybe my 1983 cup final brochure) , and you wouldn't know (or care) if the burglar was violent or not, your instincts would take over and when that happens, anything is a possibility. I can't say that I wouldn't strike the burglar down if I got the chance, until it happens to me (hopefully it wont)

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

I almost stabbed a copper by mistake. A burglar broke into my father-in-laws house, and I was only two doors down the street. I armed myself with a very nasty knife, and went through the front door after him. The wife had called the police. I searched the house, verbally letting him know that I was armed and he was in danger. As it turned out, he had done the front door, heard me come after him, and scarpered straight through the house and over the garage at the back. As I didn't know this, I cleared the house from top to bottom, and as I cleared the kitchen and stepped back, I heard a noise behind me. The policeman found himself two inches from getting a free face lift (I noticed his shiny number on his shoulder as I was about to make the follow through). He was initially terrified (he forgot any training he may have had), then cross, then he explained that if I had stabbed the intruder, and it had only been once, it was highly unlikely that I would have been charged as the police would have encouraged a self-defence case, despite me pre-arming and coming in from two doors down the street! If I had stabbed him lots of time, then reasonable force goes out the window!

Suffice to say that I would happily do it again. You step into my world without honest intentions, you have to be prepared to take your chances.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

What? you would bum rape him? Where are we Arizona?

I personally wouldn't back scuttle the vermin,but I would arrange delivery to dukes mound...

 

[caz99]

i think we all agree we would protect our property family etc. however Tony Martin shot someone in the back - that was not reasonable force.

if you shot someone in the back escaping from your home you would most probably end up in the same situation.

most people would grab the nearest thing to hand (thats instinct) to protect themselves not lay in wait with a shotgun.

there is more to it than just tony martin there was obviously police faults as he had been robbed numerous times before and nothing was done.

 

[Highfields Seagull]

I'm not sure how shooting someone who is running away can be described as self defence.

Tony Martin got what he deserved.

 

[D'Angelo Saxon]

Yeah, but its not like they hadn't been warned. The Fearons had broken into his house before, and Martin had threatened to shoot them.

They didn't take heed, so the only pity I've got is that he didn't get both of them.