OAP held for fatal stabbing of intruder is granted bail
A PENSIONER arrested over the fatal stabbing of an intruder during a suspected burglary has been bailed until May.
Richard Osborn-Brooks (78) was held on suspicion of murder after fatally wounding Henry Vincent during a suspected burglary at his home at around 12.45am on Wednesday.
Neighbours of the pensioner defended his actions, saying he should not be punished for protecting himself.
Osborn-Brooks was bailed to return to a south London police station in early May, pending further inquiries, the Metropolitan Police said.
He was arrested after officers were called to reports of a burglary in progress after two men entered a house in South Park Crescent in Hither Green, southeast London.
Vincent, armed with a screwdriver, forced the homeowner into his kitchen, while his accomplice went upstairs, the Met said.
Detectives believe a struggle ensued between Osborn-Brooks and Vincent, after which the intruder, aged 37, was stabbed in the upper body.
However, officers refused to confirm whether or not the suspect had been stabbed with the screwdriver.
An eyewitness said Vincent had an accomplice who dragged him towards a van before leaving him for dead.
Vincent was found collapsed in nearby Further Green Road by paramedics from the ambulance service who took him to a central London hospital where he died at 3.37am.
Adam Lake, who lives near the scene, said he did not feel safe from crime and stressed that Mr Osborn-Brooks was “just protecting himself ”.
He added: “He doesn’t deserve to be punished for defending himself.
“The neighbours that I’ve spoken to all agree that the priority needs to be to supporting him after everything that he’s been through.
“He was just protecting himself, after all.”
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said the homeowner had been retired for 26 years.
A witness who lives in the road said he saw an accomplice try to rescue the suspect just before midnight before fleeing the scene.
He recalled seeing a white Vauxhall Astra van pull up next to a man “moaning and groaning” on the street who was “bleeding heavily from his chest through his shirt”.
Its driver attempted to drag the man into the vehicle before driving off north when he noticed he was being watched, he said.
The second suspect fled the scene and has yet to be found.
The pensioner, who suffered bruising to his arms, was initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm but was further arrested on suspicion of murder, the Met said.
At least five forensic officers entered the house, guarded by police, on South Park Crescent just before 1pm on Wednesday.
A large purple forensic tent was erected by the front door.