Protecting my home

[laurasand]

How far should you be able to go to protect ur home from intruders?

[emmie]

protecting me and mine would be the priority, whether that landed me in jail or not.

[VictorMildew]

There is a fine line in defending your home and using disproportionate force to do so. In the USA you would in all probability get away with simply blasting someone for merely stepping foot inside your property, but here in the UK you wouldn't.
The onus would be on the householder to prove that the force they used was reasonable in the circumstances, not the intruder because he has already committed an offence, but not necessarily burglary.

[commoner]

..mm..the Yanks do have some things right after all...

[parkie]

I think we have to take the age and health of the householder into account as well. Even if a burglar only put his fists up to me he'd get a whack with my wife's crutch because I know I wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of defending myself on the same level.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

The red pepper spray with a 12 foot range can cause a bit of disruption

[JonnyBoy12]

How does an intruder get into a victim's home?


'Intruder' window!

[askyourgran]

Well said parkdale, I doubt I could match even a 13year old if he dropped in -truderwindow I do have a heavy walking stick by the door (for show only) but if I could reach it in time Id use that. I suppose a taser is out of the question.

[netibiza]

Agree with em10.

I have no time for "fine lines" and "reasonable force". If they are not supposed to be in my house then that is there problem. When I see a cockroach I don't only spray it once, I keep overspraying until it is dead and then I jump on it, that is not reasonable force!! aned I would keep bashing an intruder!! So I end up in the nick, at least I would have done my duty to my family!!!

[netibiza]

**their**

[VictorMildew]

Going by the moniker I'd imagine that +netibiza+ doesn't live in the UK? Because you might not be so gung ho. Incidentally, just for your information, I'm sure that cockroaches don't qualify as regards the criminal justice system here. Just to put your mind at rest.

[jake-the-peg]

The point is you can use appropriate force - you always have been able to.

The problem comes with people who want to personally punish intruders - to act as judge and jury when they are not at risk.

The people who want to chase intruders down the street beating them on the head with a cricket bat

The people who want to shoot them in the back as they're walking out with your TV

That is not allowed nor should it ever be

You are not Judge Dred

You are not "The law"

[netibiza]

Victormeldrew, I am gung ho wherever I am, I am a no nonsense non pc person, my ref to cockroaches was to show that I do not know when I have passed reasonable force! And how does one prove resonable force, "excuse me intruder, have I used reasonable force on you??" I don't think so!!!