78 pensioner arrested for fatally stabbing burglar in his own home

[SShaming]

2 burglars break into a 78 year old man’s home armed with screwdriver.

Forces owner into the kitchen whilst one of them goes upstairs.

A fight ensues, leaving pensioner with injuries to his arm and burglary is fatally stabbed. Perhaps with his own screwdriver although this is TBC.

Police arrest pensioner.

On what planet is this right?

Same with the Tony Martin case. The law is a joke.

It's madness isn't it !

In this situation they probably have no choice but to arrest. It doesn't mean he will be charged with or be found guilty of anything.
I hope he won't, poor guy.

Ridiculous. If he'd crucified the bastard, I still wouldn't arrest him (the pensioner that is).

It's the law. Killing someone is illegal whatever the circumstances.

The homeowner should be able to defend themselves when faced with potentially life-threatening intruders in their home. It's so simple; if you don't want to be beaten to death, don't burgle people. If you don't want to be stabbed with a screwdriver, don't break into someone's home and threaten them with one.

It's surely an instinctive thing to defend your home? I don't believe anyone should be held responsible for their actions in a case like this.

Wow good on him taking on 2 individuals! I really hope he's treated kindly after what must have been a huge shock and released with no charges.

Someone has died. The police's job is not to make assumptions about what has happened but to properly investigate the circumstances of the death.

Fucking police, following the law and arresting someone who's caused another to die. The bastards.

Someone has been killed in a violent manner. The police have to arrest until they determine the facts. He may not be charged. Self defence can be a complete defence even to a murder charge depending on what happened.

The Tony Martin case was different from memory. IIRC He shot someone who was leaving the property so couldn't argue that it was true self-defence because the risk of harm to him had passed. (this is based on my loose recollection so feel free to correct me).

Well, just to be devil's advocate, a person is dead, that has to be investigated surely? I wouldn't want to see the legal system just take a cursory glance at anyone's death, dust off hands and walk away.

I don't think- from the facts reported so far - that this man should be tried for murder. I hope he is not. But just look at the way the 'self defence' laws in America get used to justify horrendous numbers of deaths. I wouldn't want that scenario either.

Killing someone is illegal whatever the circumstances

Not if it is deemed self defence. Hopefully this will be too, poor man.

He should be getting a knighthood.
Apparently however burglars have rights.

He was initially arrested for GBH. Then re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

FFS. Hasn't he had enough of an ordeal being confronted with 2 armed burglars whilst asleep with his wife in his own home?

My nan used to sleep with a 12 inch blade under her pillow, she would have used it too.

I have the same recollection of the Tony Martin case - didn't he shoot him as he was running away from the property?

It's ridiculous, I hope the old man doesn't get jailed for this, I bet if he wasn't struggling and fighting back to defend himself he could have been the one fatally stabbed.

Of course he should be arrested - they have to investigate and determine if the burglary story is what happened.

The police have to investigate otherwise we could all go around killing people and saying it's self defence.

If it genuinely was self defence I sincerely hope he isn't charged. As far as I'm concerned burglars give up their rights as soon as they break in.

This is nothing like the Tony Martin case - the guy was running away and Tony Martin shot him in the back, so not in self defence.

The homeowner should be able to defend themselves when faced with potentially life-threatening intruders in their home. It's so simple

The homeowner can defend themselves. The pensioner hasn't been charged. He needs to be questioned under caution to get his side of the story. Or should the police ignore the law if enough people think it's appropriate?

He has to be arrested. His actions have to be investigated. It’s how the law works. Surely you can see that?

It’s absolutly right that he is arrested. I think they have to do this whilst they investigate so all the right boxes are ticked.

I assume he was initially arrested for GBH before the other man died and that once he died that became an arrest for murder. The appropriate charge is murder if you intend to kill or seriously injure another person and they then die.

As others have said self defence is a complete defence to a murder charge but you are only allowed to use reasonable force.

Ok, I see that he has to be arrested. But I hope he wasn't cuffed and is being treated kindly.