Carrying something for self defence

AHarvey · 11 Oct 2016 at 17:14

danlightbulb said:
They do deserve it though. I think the law should be pretty clear on this. If someone breaks into your house and you kill them there should no repercussions.

In that case, would you like to come over to my house....

**BANG**

You're dead! Hit over the head with a baseball bat several times. I smash a window from the outside into the house, plant a little in the bottom of yours shoes to make it look like you've walked through it. Maybe cut you with a little of it and plant some blood on the window.

I've just killed a burglar and got away with it.

danlightbulb · 11 Oct 2016 at 17:32

AHarvey said:
In that case, would you like to come over to my house....

**BANG**

You're dead! Hit over the head with a baseball bat several times. I smash a window from the outside into the house, plant a little in the bottom of yours shoes to make it look like you've walked through it. Maybe cut you with a little of it and plant some blood on the window.

I've just killed a burglar and got away with it.

Well don't make enemies then. This scenario is highly unlikely for anyone fairly normal and not causing trouble.

What would you do if a burglar killed your child before you were able to disable him? I'd kill him without doubt, whether he was conscious or not.

ttaskmaster · 11 Oct 2016 at 17:42

danlightbulb said:
You have to strike first if you can and if that means bashing them over the head multiple times to ensure the risk is dealt with then so be it.

Once is often enough to kill.
I think the law is far more in favour of you perhaps whacking them once and scaring them off...

Bonjour · 11 Oct 2016 at 17:42

AHarvey said:
In that case, would you like to come over to my house....

**BANG**

You're dead! Hit over the head with a baseball bat several times. I smash a window from the outside into the house, plant a little in the bottom of yours shoes to make it look like you've walked through it. Maybe cut you with a little of it and plant some blood on the window.

I've just killed a burglar and got away with it.

I always were a helmet when burgling.

Bonjour · 11 Oct 2016 at 18:05

ttaskmaster said:
Once is often enough to kill.
I think the law is far more in favour of you perhaps whacking them once and scaring them off...

I survived 3 Lucozade bottles, though was knocked out briefly.

ttaskmaster · 11 Oct 2016 at 18:08

Bonjour said:
I survived 3 Lucozade bottles, though was knocked out briefly.

What, the plastic ones?
I should hope so...!!

mattyfez · 11 Oct 2016 at 18:20

Bonjour said:
I always were a helmet when burgling.

Stole that for my sig, comment of the day!

Edrof · 11 Oct 2016 at 18:23

Energize said:
Are there even any laws against carrying weapons on private property? As far as I am aware you can carry what you like at your own peril if an incident arises.

Some weapons are illegal to own, full stop.

Angilion · 12 Oct 2016 at 01:13

Semple said:
[..]
Some of the advice on here is shocking, you couldn't whack a burgler over the head just for breaking into your house, that's not self-defence. Obviously if they came at you, or tried to attack you, then yes that would be reasonable self-defence.

They have broken into your house, which means they are an immediate threat to you. As you are under threat, you have a right to use reasonable force in defence and you're not required to make precisely accurate judgements about the minimum force required.

If I was on a jury for a person charged with some form of assault for doing what you describe, I would return a not guilty verdict. I would also be extremely surprised that it was in court at all since the person was acting legally. There is ample precedent, including cases in which the intruder was unintentionally killed as a result. The last time any such case went to court was when the person at home shot someone through a window before that person had broken in, killing them. They were acquitted on the grounds of reasonable force because the about-to-be-an-intruder was intending to kill them. The UK has very strong defence laws based on the idea of reasonable force and I think that is how it should be.

There was the classic story of "self-defence" a good few years ago, where someone had broken into a house and when confronted he legged it out as fast as he could, the guy shot him in the back as he was running across his front garden. Can't remember if he died, but the guy was obviously found guilty of the act, and couldn't plead self-defence.

You're probably thinking of Tony Martin, who still got off very lightly for premeditated murder and leaving someone to bleed to death while he had a cup of tea.

There's a great deal of difference between using reasonable force to stop a person who is an immediate threat and deliberately killing someone who is not an immediate threat.

Freefaller · 12 Oct 2016 at 09:41

OP - just to be safe, carry one of these:

Let's face it, most crooks don't want to be caught, and run away.

I startled someone trying to break into a car, and they scarpered. I hadn't even spotted him, but clearly thought I had and bolted.

Most people don't want conflict and tragedies happen through heat of the moment reactions.