'Tony Martin law' is blocked
A proposal to give householders greater rights to forcibly tackle burglars has been blocked by the government.
Conservative MP Roger Gale wanted legal protection for people who believed they had acted in reasonable self defence against intruders.
But his Criminal Justice (Justifiable Conduct) Bill failed to make further progress in the House of Commons.
Home Office Minister, Fiona Mactaggart, said that it would have created a "spiral of violence and retaliation".
The proposal to allow householders the right to take unlimited action in defence of their homes followed a poll of BBC Radio 4 Today programme listeners, which found support for a "Tony Martin" law.
The Norfolk farmer's case sparked a national debate after he was jailed for the fatal shooting of a burglar in 1999.
News article in full at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3672701.stm
A proposal to give householders greater rights to forcibly tackle burglars has been blocked by the government.
Conservative MP Roger Gale wanted legal protection for people who believed they had acted in reasonable self defence against intruders.
But his Criminal Justice (Justifiable Conduct) Bill failed to make further progress in the House of Commons.
Home Office Minister, Fiona Mactaggart, said that it would have created a "spiral of violence and retaliation".
The proposal to allow householders the right to take unlimited action in defence of their homes followed a poll of BBC Radio 4 Today programme listeners, which found support for a "Tony Martin" law.
The Norfolk farmer's case sparked a national debate after he was jailed for the fatal shooting of a burglar in 1999.
News article in full at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3672701.stm