[News] Hither Green 'burglar' stabbing: Man, 78, arrested

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Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
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Apr 5, 2014
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Tony Martin was a very different case indeed: a man with some mental health and/or learning difficulties, who was in possession of an illegal, unlicensed shotgun. That firearm alone was enough to mean he was likely to be locked up. If you or I are found in possession of an unlicensed firearm, we go to prison.

I'm entirely lacking in sympathy for the burglar he shot and killed, as he made the choice to break into the farm, but you can't possibly say with any certainty that Martin wouldn't have been a danger to others at any stage. If his health had continued to deteriorate- and there was plenty of evidence that he wasn't the sort to engage with support services- then he could have ended up shooting somebody who happened to walk across his land, for example, or a bunch of local kids playing Knock Down Ginger and annoying him. It's all could have, would have, of course. But I don't think his situation bears great comparison with this week's case.

Perhaps all the online petitions urging the law to be tightened to protect householders (oh look! It does! Already!) will be taken down now....

I'm pretty sure that Tony Martin had already used his gun on a person found scrumping in his orchard. Well, maybe not the person themselves but certainly their vehicle.

The Martin case is clearly different to this as you say.

I would say that I'm not totally agreeing the no sympathy thing with the Martin burglar. He was a 16 year old kid. A little scrote, yes, but I'd hope that he had been injured as opposed to killed. It would have been nice to think he could have had a chance to realise how close he came and turned his life around.

The coppers have done the right thing here- and as usual some have cried foul at a social injustice that was never going to happen.

The law in this country gives folk the right to protect themselves. The media want to portray it otherwise- that sells.
 
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Lady Whistledown

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Jul 7, 2003
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The law in this country gives folk the right to protect themselves. The media want to portray it otherwise- that sells.

Indeed. The likes of the Mail and the Sun were always going to wet themselves with excitement over an "injustice" that was never going to happen. I'm glad it's been properly investigated, and equally glad that the evidence appears to point to some poor, decent old man doing what was entirely reasonable to protect himself, his wife and his property.

I very much hope he'll be allowed to get on with his life quietly, despite the horrendous shock he must have suffered. But no doubt he'll be harangued by the media for some time to come. Let's hope there is no sort of retribution from the deceased's friends & family either.
 


Eeyore

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Apr 5, 2014
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Speak for yourself ive had a stiffy for four days in outrage about snowflakes persucutin a british hero

regards
DR

Except that they haven't. Sorry to send you limp.

Oh shit...

You got me again you sod.
 


seagulls4ever

New member
Oct 2, 2003
4,338
I would say that I'm not totally agreeing the no sympathy thing with the Martin burglar. He was a 16 year old kid. A little scrote, yes, but I'd hope that he had been injured as opposed to killed. It would have been nice to think he could have had a chance to realise how close he came and turned his life around.

This. As I have also mentioned, I find the complete lack of sympathy when burglars die disturbing. Death is so final. They deserve the chance to turn their life around. It saddens me that death is the consequence of a bad decision. In this case, a 16 year old kid doesn't have an adult's brain, for a start, and he was influenced by a much older accomplice.
 




Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Indeed. The likes of the Mail and the Sun were always going to wet themselves with excitement over an "injustice" that was never going to happen. I'm glad it's been properly investigated, and equally glad that the evidence appears to point to some poor, decent old man doing what was entirely reasonable to protect himself, his wife and his property.

I very much hope he'll be allowed to get on with his life quietly, despite the horrendous shock he must have suffered. But no doubt he'll be harangued by the media for some time to come. Let's hope there is no sort of retribution from the deceased's friends & family either.

The press make me sick. I really hope they leave him alone.
 




Dr Bandler

Well-known member
Dec 17, 2005
550
Peterborough
This. As I have also mentioned, I find the complete lack of sympathy when burglars die disturbing. Death is so final. They deserve the chance to turn their life around. It saddens me that death is the consequence of a bad decision. In this case, a 16 year old kid doesn't have an adult's brain, for a start, and he was influenced by a much older accomplice.

Whatever Tony Martin's mental condition, it is worth remembering that the two burglars had targeted his farm before, and there was no support from the police. Indeed, in many rural communities there are no police anymore. So while all of the headlines focus on London violence and crime (quite righty at the moment), there are people in rural areas that feel vulnerable.

It is not difficult to see how someone with mental frailties living through that situation could snap. Again we need to focus on the underlying point - what measures can we take to make communities safer.
 




Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,325
Withdean area
BBC SE TV news covered this in detail tonight, due the reign of terror carried out by this family in Kent and SE London over the last 20 years. With fresh input from a retired Kent Police detective and very elderly victims. They all said good riddance.

There were 7 (now 6) male burglars/robbers/fraudsters in the extended family, acting in concert. As well as aggravated burglaries on the very elderly, they've also defrauded that age group out of £1m from fake building work. Not rumours, but criminal convictions.

Whilst filming, a cousin of the dead thief spoke (didn't want to show her face) at the scene of the death. She said on camera "E ad an art of gold and would do anythink for anyone. The stuff said about him this week aint true",
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
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Apr 5, 2014
25,940


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
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Apr 5, 2014
25,940
BBC SE TV news covered this in detail tonight, due the reign of terror carried out by this family in Kent and SE London over the last 20 years. With fresh input from a retired Kent Police detective and very elderly victims. They all said good riddance.

There were 7 (now 6) male burglars/robbers/fraudsters in the extended family, acting in concert. As well as aggravated burglaries on the very elderly, they've also defrauded that age group out of £1m from fake building work. Not rumours, but criminal convictions.

Whilst filming, a cousin of the dead thief spoke (didn't want to show her face) at the scene of the death. She said on camera "E ad an art of gold and would do anythink for anyone. The stuff said about him this week aint true",

Ah, so he was merely delivering a screwdriver for Mr Osborn-Brooks to work on his pluming with. Terrible miss-understanding. Maybe the coppers need to look again.
 




seagulls4ever

New member
Oct 2, 2003
4,338
Whatever Tony Martin's mental condition, it is worth remembering that the two burglars had targeted his farm before, and there was no support from the police. Indeed, in many rural communities there are no police anymore. So while all of the headlines focus on London violence and crime (quite righty at the moment), there are people in rural areas that feel vulnerable.

It is not difficult to see how someone with mental frailties living through that situation could snap. Again we need to focus on the underlying point - what measures can we take to make communities safer.

Sure, but that's not my point. My point is it saddens me that someone died. I do have some sympathy for the burglar. I don't think he deserved to die.
 


mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,927
England
Just for those who couldnt comprehend the arrest:

Det Ch Insp Harding said: "While there might be various forms of debate about which processes should be used in cases such as this, it was important that the resident was interviewed by officers under the appropriate legislation; not only for the integrity of our investigation but also so that his personal and legal rights were protected."
 






carlzeiss

Well-known member
May 19, 2009
6,236
Amazonia
This. As I have also mentioned, I find the complete lack of sympathy when burglars die disturbing. Death is so final. They deserve the chance to turn their life around. It saddens me that death is the consequence of a bad decision. In this case, a 16 year old kid doesn't have an adult's brain, for a start, and he was influenced by a much older accomplice.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(farmer)

Fred Barras, the dead youth, had already been convicted of total of 29 offences by the time of his death at the age of 16, including seven convictions for theft and six for fraud.[12] He had been sentenced to two months in a young offenders' institution for assaulting a policeman, theft and being drunk and disorderly. On the night he was killed, Barras had just been released on bail after being accused of stealing garden furniture. His elderly grandmother, Mary Dolan, stated: "It's not fair that the farmer has got all the money and he is the one that took Fred away.
 


seagulls4ever

New member
Oct 2, 2003
4,338
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(farmer)

Fred Barras, the dead youth, had already been convicted of total of 29 offences by the time of his death at the age of 16, including seven convictions for theft and six for fraud.[12] He had been sentenced to two months in a young offenders' institution for assaulting a policeman, theft and being drunk and disorderly. On the night he was killed, Barras had just been released on bail after being accused of stealing garden furniture. His elderly grandmother, Mary Dolan, stated: "It's not fair that the farmer has got all the money and he is the one that took Fred away.

So? Should that mean I don't feel any sympathy for the fact that he's now dead?
 


Eeyore

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Apr 5, 2014
25,940


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
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Apr 5, 2014
25,940
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(farmer)

Fred Barras, the dead youth, had already been convicted of total of 29 offences by the time of his death at the age of 16, including seven convictions for theft and six for fraud.[12] He had been sentenced to two months in a young offenders' institution for assaulting a policeman, theft and being drunk and disorderly. On the night he was killed, Barras had just been released on bail after being accused of stealing garden furniture. His elderly grandmother, Mary Dolan, stated: "It's not fair that the farmer has got all the money and he is the one that took Fred away.

Why don't we just knock down Marble Arch and resurrect Tyburn. Let The Sun hold a vote on who enters the cart.
 




vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,273
Will be interesting to know what happens here, I'd imagine he's been arrested as a formality.

Unless he's repeatedly stabbed the burglar you'd hope that it's all viewed as self defense.

One less scumbag on the streets :thumbsup:


11 pages in and after the usual self-righteous complaints and indignation about the law and the police the "suspect " has been released without charge. The police and the legal system have done pretty much what they were supposed to do after investigating the evidence. But at least it's filled the Daily Mail letters page on a quiet news day.Now, lets get back to Brexit.
 


GT49er

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Feb 1, 2009
49,188
Gloucester
Released without charge. Good. Not before time.



Scumbag burglar still dead...........oh well, never mind. Sh1t happens - even occasionally to scum. Hope the police put as much effort into catching his accomplice as they did in investigating the possible murder charge. Have they got him yet?
 


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