Rob Lomas burgled farmer fundraiser

[Settlement22]

Hi all, I just wanted to bring your attention to the fact there is a fundraiser set up for the burgled farmer's legal defence.
Don't know if I'm allowed to post a direct link? You can Google Rob Lomas fundraiser and you will find it.
Aware there is another thread discussing this bit fundraiser buried in there a bit.

Has the other thread been pulled as I was part way through and it seems to have disappeared?

to ask your thoughts on this? Fatal shooting during burglary http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/5067878-to-ask-your-thoughts-on-this-fatal-shooting-during-burglary

They've raised 35k, their initial target was 10k (although it has been amended to 20k).

I think I need my money more than they do. They've got enough now.

Why does he need legal defence? He hasn't (yet) been charged with anything. Police are still investigating.

Might turn out to be self defence. Or does it need to go to court for that to be accepted?

Already contributed.

If the CPS don't bring charges, and he doesn't need a solicitor, then he can donate it to Farming Help.

That's totally fine, there is no pressure for anyone to donate and of course there will be people that do not have the money to donate but there will also be people who would like to donate.
Good legal defence will cost way more than 35k in my experience though.

a) they aren't saying it's for legal fees. They are saying it's to 'support our family and my father, Rob, through this very difficult time'
b) he is being questioned. He hasn't been charged. Nobody, at this stage, knows of he will be going to court over this

And thanks, but I know it's totally fine not to donate to something where it's unclear what the funds will be used for.

Honestly I’m amazed everyone is rushing to donate.

This could be spent on a family holiday or a flash car.

He killed someone in circumstances that we don’t understand or have much information about.

How will donors feel if it turns out he shot the burglar in the back, out of a window, protecting his tractor/weed stash/car depending what account you read.

If his behaviour turns out to be faultless, he won’t incur legal fees.
If his behaviour was well dodgy, he will have been given a ton of money after having shot a burglar, potentially unnecessarily.

I have no idea which way it will go. No way would I donate yet.

I saw there is also a gofundme for the funeral of the deceased suspected burglar/home invader.

It was initially set at £6k then revised to £12k. It must be an expensive funeral being planned. Almost £11k donated so far.

I wonder if gofundme do any due diligence to make sure that money donated for a funeral is actually spent on a funeral

He’ll qualify for free legal advice anyway won’t he and I thought you could choose who represented you?

Does anyone know how much a legal defence costs in the UK. It would likely be upward of £80k and he won’t qualify for legal aid due to owning property. Im
happy to help. Didn’t donate much, but what I can afford. I really feel for both families, but if you break into someone’s home they should have a right to defend it!

You only get free legal advice during the interview process, not when he’s charged which sadly he will be.

This.

There really isn't enough information available publically to know whether this was justifiable self-defense or murder. I wouldn't want to contribute towards the legal costs of a murderer.

I don't think there is any need to be rude or nippy with me. I was drawing attention to it for anyone that might have wanted to support him and was polite and kind in my reply to you. Weird level of rudeness for no reason.

@AGlinnerOfHope so you're saying you've had evidence/information that the farmer was growing drugs?!
Well am sure the police will be all over that 🙄.

I didn't think there was any need for you to point out that 'it's totally fine' for people not to donate. I think it's blindingly obvious.

And as that post was specifically aimed at me, rather than 'polite and kind' it came across as patronising and supercilious. Hence my response.

No. I’m saying we don’t know. Others in the area have said that rumours are being spread, potentially malicious.

We don't know.

Anyone who puts money into this, has no idea what kind of person they are supporting, or what the money will be spent on.

That’s what I’m saying. I’m sure the police are all over it, and eventually we’ll find out. Right now, we don’t know.

@Settlement22 on this thread and the other one, there's clearly either the robbers supporters, or posters who are of the 'all property is theft, people can take what they want and their violence is fine, but anyone who disagrees or uses violence on them is wrong' belief....🙄

better to have it and not need it, rather than need it epsecially legal costs etc

People want their heads examining donating to that. Even the way it's worded - it says nothing about legal fees and pretty much just says 'please give us money'. The guys not even been charged yet.

It will be interesting when the full circumstances come to light. I would imagine that seeing your mate get shot would be enough to stop most in their tracks yet two were shot.

I wonder if people will be so keen to donate if it came to light that one/both was shot in the back or at the end of the drive whilst fleeing?

How will donors feel if it turns out he shot the burglar in the back, out of a window, protecting his tractor/weed stash/car depending what account you read

I’d still donate. If the burglar hadn’t been burglaring, he wouldn’t have been shot. Bottom line.

I suspect it's like the pediatrician that got attacked because people are too dumb to know the difference.

There's a Rob Lomas who Is a manager at a place called Maggie's Farm in Colorado, that specialises in medical marijuana. I would be surprised if it's the same man, but some people are not clever.

I quite agree with this.

Also, farming is hard work and a LOT of farmers cannot afford to employ helpers. He cannot farm his land while he is being questioned in a police interview, so will be falling short. I don't think it should specify that it is for legal fees.

I didn’t realise this, I just assumed that a person would always qualify for legal aid for such serious crimes.