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Original poster

78 pensioner arrested for fatally stabbing burglar in his own home

999 replies

SShaming · 04/04/2018 12:20

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Astrabees · 05/04/2018 06:12

Yes, ikeepaforkinmypurse, we have heard of self defence - it is just that a defence to an allegation or charge, not some stand alone mantra.

SaucyJane · 05/04/2018 06:19

Home - absolutely, that was an appalling comment from Bluelady.

Who doubtless would be screeching from the rafters if there were a picture of the burglar and someone said: "oh well he looks like a total thieving scumbag because of [ ]" based purely on his appearance Angry

BertrandRussell · 05/04/2018 06:24

The narrative is that this is a frail elderly man. The picture shows that he isn't.

Not that it matters which he is- the law applies to everyone equally.

BertrandRussell · 05/04/2018 06:34

Also, it's not easy to stab someone with a kitchen knife-it needs plenty of strength.

SaucyJane · 05/04/2018 06:51

I agree that it's irrelevant to the legal process, although I do think his age is important, as it may well have been a factor in why his house was targeted. And his wife is apparently 76 and he has to care for her.

But the pictures I've seen don't show that he's either frail or sound. You can only see his head and shoulders in one, and the other is 8 years old.

However, Bluelady has made 2 posts now that clearly insinuate he's not as worthy of sympathy because of how he looks in his photographs - and I think she'd be up in arms if anyone did the same with the burglar. How can you not have sympathy for ANYONE who finds 2 armed strangers in their house in the middle of the night, frail or not, even if there are a lot of question marks over what happened next?! A friend of mine who lives alone in central London woke up to hear 2 men in her house at 2am. She was v lucky because she had her mobile and the police arrived before the burglars reached her room in the end, but she was traumatised and in counselling for months.

Slarti · 05/04/2018 07:22

I can't believe how many people actually think the police should do nothing if an alleged burglar has been killed. It really does make me worry about society that so many people can work themselves into a frenzy and be so angry that such things are investigated in order to confirm the account given by the pensioner.

Here's a thought experiment. Imagine John Worboys is attempting to drug and rape one of his victims but she tries to leave, saying she will call the police. Warboys kills her and calls the police himself, telling them that she tried to rob him. The police say "that's ok then, she's scum," clear up the body and leave him on his merry way.

I'm 99% sure this pensioner is telling the truth but to bone calling it an "outrage" that the police are following their procedures to actually confirm it is the truth is, I'm sorry not sorry to say, a fucking idiot.

Slarti · 05/04/2018 07:24

*the people calling it an outrage

Slarti · 05/04/2018 07:25

Actually I think that was meant to be "anyone calling it" Blush

SaucyJane · 05/04/2018 07:34

Do you need a coffee, slarti? Brew Wink

IIlustriouslyIllogical · 05/04/2018 08:00

You can’t kill people unless you have a very good reason. “He was in my house” is not one of them

I love the way people keep trotting out "if they're in your house" like they're stood there admiring the paintings....

Now change that to "if someone breaks into your house at midnight, threatens you, has a weapon, one is going upstairs to your disabled wife and you're terrified you're going to be killed/assaulted"

Now it's starting to sound like that "very good reason" people keep banging on about.

I hope I'd react as he did & if the results were the same I'd sleep with a clear conscience - whether I'd be able to sleep for the fear of some robbing scum breaking into my house is a different matter though....

Lizzie48 · 05/04/2018 08:03

At the moment it's not clear whether the burglar was stabbed with the screwdriver he himself was holding or whether the house owner grabbed a kitchen knife, as far as I can see. I think it's probably more likely that he turned the screwdriver on his attacker during a struggle.

At any rate, he immediately called the police and told them what he'd done and didn't think he'd killed the burglar.

Slarti · 05/04/2018 08:29

@Saucy at the very least I should have got out of bed and given myself a minute before trying to post Grin

BertrandRussell · 05/04/2018 08:39

I would worry about anyone who could sleep easily after killing someone -regardless of the circumstances.

And if the burglar was stabbed with his own screwdriver during a struggle, it rather gives the lie to the frail elderly pensioner narrative, doesn’t it? Imagine the force necessary to push a screwdriver far enough into a fully clothed person to kill them.

Bluelady · 05/04/2018 08:45

Badly phrased - my comment on the photo was intended to highlight that the "frail, vulnerable pensioner" description everyone from The Times down is bandying about isn't very accrurate. That's all, no judgement intended. And definitely no screaming from the rafters - I couldn't get up there for one thing!

ButchyRestingFace · 05/04/2018 08:50

Of course he has to be arrested. There's a dead body and somebody admitting that he stabbed the person. Hmm

We only have one person's story about what happened at the moment. The other person, being dead, isn't in a position to give his side of events. No doubt if he were, he'd deny he was a burglar and say he was there on a friendly house visit where out of nowhere, the owner attacked him in a frenzied rage.

KC225 · 05/04/2018 08:51

There has been a death and of course it should be investigated. But on face value, did this elderly man with a disabled wife really need to send two nights in a cell. Could they have confiscated his passport, where is he going to go? Even tagging him would have seemed more sensitive given what he has been through.

DailyWailSucksSnails · 05/04/2018 08:52

I'm thinking of Duterte's war on drug dealers. Death sentence for all. A LOT of Philippinos support this policy. :(

ButchyRestingFace · 05/04/2018 09:00

But on face value, did this elderly man with a disabled wife really need to send two nights in a cell. Could they have confiscated his passport, where is he going to go? Even tagging him would have seemed more sensitive given what he has been through.

Because he's being held for murder? How many other people get immediately bailed when being investigated for murder?

He says he did it so there's no question of him not even being the correct suspect.

TerranceandPhilip · 05/04/2018 09:02

Ha!Two a week? What about the rest of them?

Well I attend 2 a week. Clearly there's a lot more of them.

And it's not my place to tell you how to solve them, surely they teach you that in your training

Come on now. You're clearly an expert. If there's no forensic or visual evidence how do you expect police to solve them?

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 05/04/2018 09:30

You're clearly an expert

I never claimed I was an expert on police matters, uite the opposite. Where is your evidence I said I was an expert?

All I said is that I don't feel safe at home or on the streets with the current level of crime.

You clearly find it difficult to solve the burglaries but have no problem twisting my words. Funny, that.

Homemenu1 · 05/04/2018 09:44

burglar it’s a interesting word, how would you know that someone entering your home without your permission and in the dead of night is a burglar?
It’s ok he’s just going to take your DVD player maybe your car keys. It’s only stuff, not worth a life.
Really?
He was an intruder, and until he’s running out your house with a swag bag you have no idea what his intentions are.

That intruder might become a burgular, or a rapist or a murderer. Would you wait to find out?

SaucyJane · 05/04/2018 09:51

Thank you for clarifying Bluelady - that makes much more sense/better reading Wine

SaucyJane · 05/04/2018 09:53

Home - It's a long time since I did any criminal law, but I think burglary is the offence of being in the property without consent. So he was definitely a burglar.

Theft is then the act of taking possessions with the intention to deprive the owner permanently. So usually burglars are also thieves, but you can easily be one without the other.

Then there's robbery, which is theft with violence, i.e. with a weapon.

Someone more experienced may refine/polish the above!

Nicknacky · 05/04/2018 10:15

He has been bailed until early may.

DGRossetti · 05/04/2018 10:21

He has been bailed until early may.

Which suggests the police have all they need from him for now ...