Home owner aged 78 arrested under suspicion of murder stabbing intruder UK

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

It's horses for courses. Even if he was going OTT, it should be taken as an emotional response and forgiven. Not everyone has the James Bond response to having to kill a guy at 3am.

Ahem...cough...no doubt some of our American friends would be able to 'double tap' an intruder and go back to sleep with a shrug.

Nah, first shot would wake the dogs.

I'm not sure what the law is about home defence here in HK but it's best be judged by 12 than to be carried by 6.

No guns here, tho.

It would be vicious, up close and personal, like that old guy.

Good on him!

a reply to: burgerbuddy

I believe he should get some kind of commendation for what he's done. He potentially saved his and his wife's life. Also, it's mind-blowing what some burglars do to their victims. There was every possibility that these guys would have beaten him and his wife into weeks of hospital...it happens. He did what he had to do under the circumstances.

Couple of personal anecdotes praising police action in similar situations :

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: burgerbuddy

I believe he should get some kind of commendation for what he's done. He potentially saved his and his wife's life. Also, it's mind-blowing what some burglars do to their victims. There was every possibility that these guys would have beaten him and his wife into weeks of hospital...it happens. He did what he had to do under the circumstances.

I really hope so too...

AND I hope equally that the police find the second burglar involved (he must be absolutely crapping himself at the moment (and I wish profoundly that he is)) wondering how he may "fall down the stairs" when the authorities finally catch up with him.

I have been away from the UK for nearly 30 years now but from what I gather CCTV is now quite a big thing in the UK so hopefully something may have been caught "on tape" if the number plate of the van he was driving away from the crime scene was noted by someone!?

Couple of personal anecdotes praising police action in similar situations :

All of this happened in a quaint (supposedly quiet) town called Harrogate in North Yorkshire.

Back in the early 80s I was staying at a relatives home on army leave and we heard a noise... (glass breaking and footsteps) from upstairs.

I went upstairs (aged relatives stayed downstairs and called the police) and found a guy with a screwdriver who had smashed the bathroom window in and was lurking around the stairway.

I challenged him and he threatened to F***ing kill me if I tried to stop him... So I did...

I layed into him big time (I could then as was much faster and fitter) and was "gently" pummeling his head into the staircase floor with my fist when the police arrived roughly 20 minutes later and dragged me off him.

The guy was whining and screaming/burbling "please get him off me, please don't hurt me any more..."

He was cuffed and taken away with probably a well smashed in nose and a broken chin...

After going through the usual adminstrative details with the police officer at the Station I asked the following question :

"Will I be pursued for GBH" (grevious bodily harm)

To which the police officer (a lovely lady by the way... replied) "Don't worry sir we witnessed the individual falling down the stairs whilst trying to take him into custody, sometimes this happens."
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Still in the 80S (circa 1987 if my memory serves me right!?) : New years day at around 1 in the morning.

Coming out of a nightclub I witnessed this big rugby player type bloke smashing the crap out of a girls face over a car bonnet.

I ran over the street and shouted "OI what the f**K are you doing you c**t? To which he shouted back after pulling his fist back for another punch to his (EX girlfriends face)... "Do you want some of this too you pansy c**t!?"

Say no more... the guy was two times bigger than I was but I laid into him as best as I could and managed to get some kicks and punches and bites into the right places in order to make him run off like the wife beating coward that he was and probably still is.

During all of this a hotel porter (where I had had my last drink) called the police and they arrived on the scene a while later.

The girlfriend was an absolute mess with blood all over her face and clothes and she was crying "please don't arrest my boyfriend... please don't arrest him?"...

The police initially arrested me on the scene (complete with broken nose, ripped jacket and watch that was lost during the fight).

After explaining the situation the police set off to find the guy and eventually caught up with him.

I know for a fact that although he was two times bigger than myself, that I had broken his nose badly and given him a couple of black eyes and a lovely swollen lip that even Winnie Mandela would have been proud of!

They brought him back even bloodier than he ran off.

I asked the question to the police as per the anecdote above : "Will I be pursued for GBH?"

Police reply : "What are you talking about sir, the gentleman fell badly during arrestation!"

Couple of weeks later the guy contacts me after going through the usual court procedures etc... and explains that he will offer me money if I drop charges for GBH as he is an espiring junior rugby player and has been chosen to trial for the South African rugby team and that his future depended on my decision.

Guess what my answer was?

He never got to South Africa and never will now that he has a UK criminal record for violence.

His ex GF also pressed charges eventually.

The young lady contacted me about 2 years later to thank me (she was counselled big time afterwards and suffered PTSD/depression) as apparently the same guy did the same thing to another young lady in the same town.

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I have confidence in the UK justice system for a case such as Mr Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78 years old... that heroically defended his wife, himself and his home.

Kindest respects

Lags

a reply to: Lagomorphe

OooooOOOOOO my edit went wrong in the post above.

Sincerest apologies folks but you get the gist.

Kindest respects

Lags

a reply to: Lagomorphe

I enjoyed reading all that which isn't bad for a habitual skimmer.

Hopefully, this gentleman will have a red carpet treatment until this awful situation is resolved.

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: Lagomorphe

I enjoyed reading all that which isn't bad for a habitual skimmer.

Hopefully, this gentleman will have a red carpet treatment until this awful situation is resolved.

A skimmer hehehe...

It sickens me to the deepest regions of my heart when justice is not served correctly... But I believe that in this particular case that justice, common sense and empathy will reign above.

I really and profoundly hope that this tragic case will come to a good end... (Although I know that Mr Osborn Brooks and his close loved ones are now going to need lifetime help).

Kindest respects

Lags

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: burgerbuddy

I believe he should get some kind of commendation for what he's done. He potentially saved his and his wife's life. Also, it's mind-blowing what some burglars do to their victims. There was every possibility that these guys would have beaten him and his wife into weeks of hospital...it happens. He did what he had to do under the circumstances.

Hell yeah, what if his wife was infirm and couldn't move quickly to get out?

She had to be mid 70's.

Friggin old dude is a hero to take on 2 assholes 1/3 of his age.

I hope I'm never in his position.

Have they caught the other burglar?.
I think even If they do not he will not be doing any more burgling after his last one.

a reply to: slider1982

Home owner aged 78 arrested under suspicion of murder stabbing intruder UK

This is where the law is inadequate and needs to change.

Old people fall into much the same category as kids when it comes to their ability to defend themselves and theirs in the face of imminent physical attack by a young, fit and healthy man.

The gross imbalance of power has be evened up in some way.

Sad to say but, while the current laws regarding assault are applied equally against all ages, kids and the old will get screwed by the so called justice system every time.

originally posted by: Azureblue
a reply to: slider1982

Home owner aged 78 arrested under suspicion of murder stabbing intruder UK

This is where the law is inadequate and needs to change.

Old people fall into much the same category as kids when it comes to their ability to defend themselves and theirs in the face of imminent physical attack by a young, fit and healthy man.

The gross imbalance of power has be evened up in some way.

Sad to say but, while the current laws regarding assault are applied equally against all ages, kids and the old will get screwed by the so called justice system every time.

Which country laws are you talking about please?

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: Azureblue
a reply to: slider1982

Home owner aged 78 arrested under suspicion of murder stabbing intruder UK

This is where the law is inadequate and needs to change.

Old people fall into much the same category as kids when it comes to their ability to defend themselves and theirs in the face of imminent physical attack by a young, fit and healthy man.

The gross imbalance of power has be evened up in some way.

Sad to say but, while the current laws regarding assault are applied equally against all ages, kids and the old will get screwed by the so called justice system every time.

Which country laws are you talking about please?

Well Im from down under actually but IMO, its something of a universal problem so therefore it requires a univeral solution.

Have such 'evening up' laws been introduced in your country? and would my guess that, that is the US be correct?

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
In the U.K. self Defense comes down to being a proportional response to defend yourself.

That's the problem. Such 'proportional' response is decided by people who were never in the situation.

I think it is reasonable to kill any adult who breaks into your home.

originally posted by: Azureblue

originally posted by: Lagomorphe

originally posted by: Azureblue
a reply to: slider1982

Home owner aged 78 arrested under suspicion of murder stabbing intruder UK

This is where the law is inadequate and needs to change.

Old people fall into much the same category as kids when it comes to their ability to defend themselves and theirs in the face of imminent physical attack by a young, fit and healthy man.

The gross imbalance of power has be evened up in some way.

Sad to say but, while the current laws regarding assault are applied equally against all ages, kids and the old will get screwed by the so called justice system every time.

Which country laws are you talking about please?

Well Im from down under actually but IMO, its something of a universal problem so therefore it requires a univeral solution.

Have such 'evening up' laws been introduced in your country? and would my guess that, that is the US be correct?

Respected and understood : www.goodreads.com...

Kindest respects

Lags

In the US state of calif the 78 year old man would have had no problem.

Calif Penal Code 368 PC would have put the surviving criminal in jail for many years.

In most states in the US attacking anyone over 65 or disabled adds 5 to 20 years to there jail time.

Using a weapon in a crime can add even more time and a screwdriver is classed as a weapon in about 98% of cases.

And if you attack someone with a screwdriver and fall on your own screwdriver and die its your surviving criminal partner/s that get charged with murder.
And the nice thing about the US is of someone breaks into your home with a screwdriver in there hand you can put holes in there body with lead.
Juries do not take kindly to armed criminals breaking into peoples homes.

a reply to: ANNED

From my understanding of UK law there is a thing as Joint Criminal Enterprise (I think). If someone dies during the commiting of a crime all members of the party commiting the crime can potentially be charged for murder/manslaughter.

Given that the criminals were 'tooled up' and were prepared to initimdate or assualt anyone at home I think there is a good chance that the second criminal will have a lot to answer for when the Police catch him.

If everything I have read in the papers is correct we will see no charges against the 78 year victim and the second criminal charged along the lines of burglary, assault and manslaughter.

a reply to: Argyll

Who's blaming him?

Home owner aged 78 arrested under suspicion of murder

www.bbc.co.uk...

A 78-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering a suspected burglar has been released without charge. The man, named locally as Richard Osborn-Brooks, discovered two intruders in South Park Crescent, Hither Green, south-east London, on Wednesday.

originally posted by: skywatcher44
www.bbc.co.uk...

A 78-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering a suspected burglar has been released without charge. The man, named locally as Richard Osborn-Brooks, discovered two intruders in South Park Crescent, Hither Green, south-east London, on Wednesday.

This is fantastic news

a reply to: Lagomorphe

Good news indeed , common sense has prevailed and the law is not always an ass.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Lagomorphe

Good news indeed , common sense has prevailed and the law is not always an ass.

Agreed, and I'll be that guy to all those of little faith...told ya so!