Gunfree UK, now tell me one more time — gun control makes the streets safer for WHO ?!?!?!?!?!?

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UK Court Refuses to Release Man Who Shot Burglar

UK Court Refuses to Release Man Who Shot Burglar
By Mike Wendling
CNSNews.com London Bureau Chief
May 08, 2003

London (CNSNews.com) – A farmer who shot to death a burglar
and was later convicted of manslaughter had his parole
request rejected Thursday by the British High Court.

Tony Martin was convicted in April 2000 in a case that
sparked debate in Britain about firearms and the rights of
landowners to defend their property.

After a two-day hearing, the court upheld a parole board
ruling that Martin was likely to reoffend if released early.

In August 1999, 16-year-old Fred Barras and an accomplice
broke into Martin’s remote farmhouse in rural Norfolk in
eastern England. Martin responded by opening fire with an
illegally held shotgun.

The gun hadn’t been registered with police as is required
under legislation enacted after a school shooting in
Dunblane, Scotland, in 1996.

Martin was originally sentenced to life in prison, but the
charges were later reduced to manslaughter on appeal.
Martin was given a five-year prison term.

During the hearing earlier this week, lawyers for Martin
claimed a secret psychological report compiled by the
government indicated that their client was suitable for
early release.

They also criticized the parole board for raising the issue
of “burglars’ rights” by asking if Martin was likely to use
similar force against criminals in the future.

Martin’s lawyer, Bitu Bhalla, said that the board shouldn’t
have submitted “arguments on the strategy for burglars
generally.

“The burglar, if he decides to attack a householder, ought
to be aware that if reasonable force is used against him, he
will not get any protection,” he said.

“There is nothing wrong with an Englishman believing his
home is his castle, and most good-thinking people believe
the same,” Bhalla told the court.

But the board defended its decision not to release Martin in
January of this year. Lawyer Pushpinder Saini argued:
“Even if only those who came onto his property were the
group at risk of the use of lethal force at the hands of Mr.
Martin, it was not irrational for the board to consider such
a group was entitled to protection.”

The Conservative Party also criticized the parole board’s
arguments.

“There certainly seems to be an imbalance between the
householder and burglar,” said Tory home affairs spokesman
Oliver Letwin.

Martin will now have to wait until July 28, when he becomes
automatically eligible for parole.

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Gun Control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a lady explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound.