Farmer locked up for killing raider: Richard must not be charged
A FARMER jailed for life after shooting dead a burglar has called for Richard Osborn-Brooks be freed without charge.
Tony Martin, 73, who killed 16-year-old Fred Barras and injured his accomplice Brendon Fearon, 29, said: “I would have done the same thing if I was in Richard’s situation.
“Until these people entered his space he was a law-abiding man.
“Then he fought for his life and now finds himself facing a murder charge. The police should let him go as soon as possible, not hold him on a murder charge.
“He will be living on tenterhooks. Some people may think I’m insensitive but this person is dead because of his own mistake. Richard is not a criminal, he’s just a very unlucky man to be caught up in the muck of other people and legislation. The same thing happened to me 20 years ago so I can understand how it ended up the way it did.
“This man had a normal life, like you or I. He was a peaceful person, but suddenly it all changed. If someone with a screwdriver comes into your house you have to make up your mind which way it’s going.
“We are wild animals at heart and you become primeval in these situations. He was in survival mode.” Mr Martin killed Barras in August 1999 at his farm in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, as the youngster and Fearon, who was blasted in the legs, launched a night-time raid. The terrified homeowner told police he opened fire after the sound of the burglars smashing a window woke him up.
He insisted he acted in self-defence but prosecutors claimed he lay in wait to shoot the pair in revenge for previous break-ins there.
He was convicted of murder but he launched a legal challenge against the decision.
Appeal Court judges later reduced the charge to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and Mr Martin served three years.
And he believes the law should be changed to give more protection to people like Mr Osborn-Brooks. Mr Martin first heard about the story yesterday and went to buy a copy of the Mirror to learn further details of the case. Speaking outside his farm he said: “Richard didn’t cause this problem at all. He didn’t attack anybody he just protected himself and his property.
“Personally, I was very lucky being 55 at the time it happened to me.
“But Richard is a fair bit older and should not have been subjected to this.
“The law stinks, he hasn’t done anything wrong.
“He’s a victim but in this case he is suffering double.
“There’s something wrong when the filth of the earth have more human rights than homeowners.”