LONDON (Reuters)
A British Judge rekindled a national debate about self-defense when he said a man who beat an intruder with a baseball bat used reasonable force, newspapers reported Friday.
The judges ruling followed widespred condemnation of a life jail sentence imposed on British Farmer Tony Martin after he shot and killed a teenage burglar.
Conservative leader William Hague had called for the legal system to be rebalanced in favor of the victims of crime.
David Summers, 21, suffered a cracked wrist, elbow, ribs and skull after he broke into Lee Gapper's house, according to the reports. The judge said Gapper, 20, and his lodger George Goodayle, 21, used reasonable force after the break in.
"You brought (that beating) on yourself and I have no sympathy for those who receive hurt while committing a crime," the Guardian newspaper quoted Judge Hugh Mayor as saying.
Gapper and Goodayle had been arrested, but prosecutors decided against prosecuting them, the paper said.
//news.excite.com/news/r/000505/07/odd-burglar?printstory=1
I suppose next the Brits will begin registration of bats!
Geoff Ross
[This message has been edited by K80Geoff (edited May 08, 2000).]
A British Judge rekindled a national debate about self-defense when he said a man who beat an intruder with a baseball bat used reasonable force, newspapers reported Friday.
The judges ruling followed widespred condemnation of a life jail sentence imposed on British Farmer Tony Martin after he shot and killed a teenage burglar.
Conservative leader William Hague had called for the legal system to be rebalanced in favor of the victims of crime.
David Summers, 21, suffered a cracked wrist, elbow, ribs and skull after he broke into Lee Gapper's house, according to the reports. The judge said Gapper, 20, and his lodger George Goodayle, 21, used reasonable force after the break in.
"You brought (that beating) on yourself and I have no sympathy for those who receive hurt while committing a crime," the Guardian newspaper quoted Judge Hugh Mayor as saying.
Gapper and Goodayle had been arrested, but prosecutors decided against prosecuting them, the paper said.
//news.excite.com/news/r/000505/07/odd-burglar?printstory=1
I suppose next the Brits will begin registration of bats!
Geoff Ross
[This message has been edited by K80Geoff (edited May 08, 2000).]