[Closed] The lad that's been stabbed and killed whilst robbing!

When someone enters your house they are effectively committing an assault on you and your family - possessions are the least of it.

Ask anyone who has been burgled how violated they feel and unsafe - some people are really badly affected.

So is 'reasonable force' the minimum that it takes to defend yourself or the minimum it takes to get the intruder to leave? Satisfactory minimum force when faced with 4 aggressive people intent on hurting may well require a shotgun.

the father of the stab victim has come out in support of defending your property -

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Father-Of-Stabbed-Burglar-John-Bennell-Says-Householders-Have-Right-To-Protect-Property/Article/201106416018554?lpos=World_News_Second_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16018554_Father_Of_Stabbed_Burglar_John_Bennell_Says_Householders_Have_Right_To_Protect_Property

shouldve hid the body

mudshark - Member

So is 'reasonable force' the minimum that it takes to defend yourself or the minimum it takes to get the intruder to leave? Satisfactory minimum force when faced with 4 aggressive people intent on hurting may well require a shotgun.

I think - the minimum to prevent harm to yourself, your family or your possessions. It will vary depending on the risk - so one skinny kid you can't hit him as hard as you could 4 huge men with baseball bats. A shotgun might be reasonable but I doubt it unless they have a gun - your shotgun should be under lock and key should it not?

So is 'reasonable force' the minimum that it takes to defend yourself or the minimum it takes to get the intruder to leave?

I would have thought than in your own home in reality you can use unreasonable force...you cannot unreasonably use it. That is you may decide to defend yourself with a golf club and hit them before they hit you -you may even do this a few times. You may even concuss them or break bones doing this. i think you will not be charged if this is what you do. Now try doing that to someone in the street and see what happens. It becomes unreasonable if the person has a broken jaw broken arm and is on the floor NO LONGER A THREAT TO YOU NO LONGER TRYING TO ROB and I then whack them some more breaking even more bones. That would be unreasonable

Satisfactory minimum force when faced with 4 aggressive people intent on hurting may well require a shotgun

Deadly force may be required if outnumbered yes. I would imagine as above. Killing them all may be OTT but I reckon you can get away with three and serious injuries to the 4 th.

[url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8629395.stm ]Story[/url] of course we can have cases like this that are dropped before jury verdict ....

A shotgun might be reasonable but I doubt it unless they have a gun - your shotgun should be under lock and key should it not?

Well if I had one I might get it out on noticing the intruders if I had the chance; actually my Gran used to have one and fired it out of her front door when she head someone outside - she lives in a remote position but not sure she should have been doing that.... As for only being able to use a gun if the intruders have one well if they're big enough a gun is the only thing that would stop them if they won't stop through choice - even if they're not armed in any way.

shotguns need to be stored in a cupboard under lock and key - two locks different keys + cartridges stored elsewhere so it would not be easy to get to in a situation like this.
Thats how my mates are stored his and I assume this is the law. Secured when not in use.

Thats how my mates are stored his and I assume this is the law. Secured when not in use.

"I heard a noise outside officer and thought it was a fox after my chickens. That's why the gun was to hand."

It is the law though and a sensible one too if you have children or psychopaths round for tea often.