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Four burglars enter, three burglars leave... Householder arrested for murder...

  • 23-06-2011 03:17PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,036 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13885457

    Apologies if this is already up somewhere, but I can't see it...
    A burglar has been stabbed to death and the householder arrested on suspicion of murder after an attempted break-in at his house in Salford.
    Four masked men attempted to get into a house in Ethel Avenue before midnight on Wednesday.
    The stabbed man, 26, is believed to have been carried away by the other intruders as they fled, before being dumped in a street in Pendlebury.
    Peter Flanagan, 57, son Neil, 29, and his son's girlfriend are being held.
    The men and the 21-year-old woman are being questioned on suspicion of murder.
    A 999 call was made from the house, during which the caller said four masked men were trying to break in.
    Prime minister's vow Police said the stabbed man was found on Hospital Road and died a short time later.
    Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan, who heads Greater Manchester Police's Salford division, said the man suffered "at least one stab wound" during an altercation in the house involving at least one person from the address and four people breaking in.
    He said he could not comment further on the injuries or the cause of death until a post-mortem examination had been carried out.
    He also refused to comment on whether the weapon had been taken into the property by the intruder or if it belonged to the householder.
    The three people with the stabbed man at the time of the incident have yet to be traced, Mr Mulligan said. He urged them, or anyone who knows of their whereabouts, to contact Greater Manchester Police.
    Prime Minister David Cameron this week vowed to bring in stronger measures to protect homeowners defending their property.
    He said: "We will put beyond doubt that homeowners and small shopkeepers who use reasonable force to defend themselves or their properties will not be prosecuted."
    When asked about whether householders should be able to defend themselves, Mr Mulligan said: "Within the existing legal framework, you can use reasonable force to protect yourself - the emphasis on reasonable."
    "I don't see it as my position to speculate on possible legislation in the future," he added.
    He urged people who thought they were being burgled to contact police.
    Police have put up a 100m cordon around the terraced house in Pendlebury, which backs on to open scrubland.
    Mr Mulligan said: "I can reassure the community that we will thoroughly investigate what happened last night and do not believe that members of the public are at risk.
    "I would urge anyone who knows something to speak to officers from the major incident team and anyone else who has other concerns can speak to my officers, who will be providing an increased presence to provide the community with reassurance."

    The householder should be given a medal.


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,293 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    They probably have to arrest in all cases, after all, someone was murdered.

    After all the facts have been established s/he would either be released without charge, ie, they used reasonable force to protect them selfs/family, no further action taken. Or if more than reasonable force is is used, ie, if they stabbed them more times than was nesseseary, or excessivly, then charge and possible prosecutuion.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,440 ✭✭✭The Aussie


    Where is the punch line to the joke???


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,127 ✭✭✭✭Leeg17


    The Aussie wrote: »
    Where is the punch line to the joke???

    Knife no idea.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,491 ✭✭✭kingtut


    The Aussie wrote: »
    Where is the punch line to the joke???

    Where does it state that it is a joke :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,940 ✭✭✭ballsymchugh


    irish-stew wrote: »
    They probably have to arrest in all cases, after all, someone was murdered.

    After all the facts have been established s/he would either be released without charge, ie, they used reasonable force to protect them selfs/family, no further action taken. Or if more than reasonable force is is used, ie, if they stabbed them more times than was nesseseary, or excessivly, then charge and possible prosecutuion.

    someone was killed. whether or not they were murdered has to be figured out.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    you would think his friends would have taken him to a hospital and not dumped him in the street.

    There is probably more to this story.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,900 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    someone was killed. whether or not they were murdered has to be figured out.

    someone was arrested on "suspicion of murder" so its a little bit further along than that

    we do not have the automatic right to kill people, even those that are commiting a crime


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,036 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    irish-stew wrote: »
    They probably have to arrest in all cases, after all, someone was murdered.

    After all the facts have been established s/he would either be released without charge, ie, they used reasonable force to protect them selfs/family, no further action taken. Or if more than reasonable force is is used, ie, if they stabbed them more times than was nesseseary, or excessivly, then charge and possible prosecutuion.

    Fair point, but I still don't know if it's the message to be sending out.
    If you kill someone who breaks into your house, you will be arrested. If you break into someone's house along with three other men, the law's got your back.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 12,333 ✭✭✭✭JONJO THE MISER


    Great news, if some skanger pond life tries to break into someones house, they deserve everything they get, tis a petty they didnt kill the other 3.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,440 ✭✭✭The Aussie


    kingtut wrote: »
    Where does it state that it is a joke :confused:
    Four Burglers enter, Three Burglars Leave...


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,007 ✭✭✭sollar


    One less scumbag in salford


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,940 ✭✭✭ballsymchugh


    Riskymove wrote: »
    someone was arrested on "suspicion of murder" so its a little bit further along than that

    we do not have the automatic right to kill people, even those that are commiting a crime

    true, but the right to self defense is important too. if some fella breaks into my home, goes to attack me and i stab him in the leg, that'd be self defense. if he's on blood thinning meds and bleeds to death down the road, does that make me guilty of murder??


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    It's interesting that the police spokesman made a point of the dead man receiving "at least one" stab wound, suggesting that there may be more wounds than would constitute reasonable force.
    If they stabbed him once or twice to incapacitate him, I don't think they should be prosecuted.
    But if they stabbed him many times, they should be convicted. If a guy's been stabbed once or twice I'd imagine he wouldn't be much more of a threat, and there'd be no need to keep stabbing. And while I sympathise with people who suffer a break-in, burglary doesn't equate with murder.
    However if it does turn out to be murder, I think they should get a reduced sentence given the circumstances.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,547 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I hope the arrest is a technicality. Four people break in - thats not an impulse action of someone after a few drinks or on drugs, that is a deliberately planned action and going in mob handed implies that they are prepared to defend themselves. They were up against an older man - who may or may not have been fit, a woman and a presumably fit young fellow. In those circumstances if I got a chance to discourage them I would not be working out where I could stab them to cause disablement but not death.

    Unless there is something we are not being told, four people breaking into a house at night have no excuses - if they didn't want to be in danger they should not have been there.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,581 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    Four masked intruders?! You couldn't really argue against reasonable force being used if that's the case.

    If he didn't incapacitate the intruder the intruder may have gotten up and caused the homeowner serious injury or death.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,036 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    If a guy's been stabbed once or twice I'd imagine he wouldn't be much more of a threat, and there'd be no need to keep stabbing.

    Only if you do a good job of stabbing him.


  • Posts: 0 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Amaya Narrow Vigilante


    hondasam wrote: »
    you would think his friends would have taken him to a hospital and not dumped him in the street.

    There is probably more to this story.

    Probably afraid of questions and having to admit they were trying to rob a place

    "what happened to your friend"
    "he eh fell on a knife, repeatedly" "police!!!!"


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 679 ✭✭✭polyfusion


    It's interesting that the police spokesman made a point of the dead man receiving "at least one" stab wound, suggesting that there may be more wounds than would constitute reasonable force.
    If they stabbed him once or twice to incapacitate him, I don't think they should be prosecuted.
    But if they stabbed him many times, they should be convicted. If a guy's been stabbed once or twice I'd imagine he wouldn't be much more of a threat, and there'd be no need to keep stabbing. And while I sympathise with people who suffer a break-in, burglary doesn't equate with murder.
    However if it does turn out to be murder, I think they should get a reduced sentence given the circumstances.

    Unless any of us have been in that situation, I don't think we can imagine we'd know "when" is the time to stop using a knife when the welfare of your family or yourself are at risk.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,313 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    looksee wrote: »
    In those circumstances if I got a chance to discourage them I would not be working out where I could stab them to cause disablement but not death.
    Exactly. Oft espoused by some among the more handwringing end of the liberal classes is the theory you can pick and chose how to defend yourself. You can't. When a knife or gun is involved the expectation is serious injury or death. That's what weapons do. Plus the chance that one stab wound will incapacitate an individual is unlikely too, unless you hit an artery in the neck for example. It depends on so many factors. A small stab wound to the belly for example could well leave an individual capable of causing further injury to you. Indeed in the heat of the moment he may not even notice until afterward. Hell people have taken small bore pistol strikes and kept going.
    Unless there is something we are not being told, four people breaking into a house at night have no excuses - if they didn't want to be in danger they should not have been there.
    +1 this was a clear home invasion unless other evidence is forthcoming. I know if I was faced with that and if I had the chance and the weapon, I'd not be striking to seriously inconvenience, but to incapacitate. If that resulted in an aggressors death at my hands, then so be it. And no that's not the keyboard talking. I've been in the position once before where I feared for my life and scrawny though I am the red mist descended.

    Many worry about Artificial Intelligence. I worry far more about Organic Idiocy.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    I think Four masked men attempting to rob a house is a bit odd unless the house is out of the ordinary with very rich people living there.
    Maybe the masked men were looking for someone in the house.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,039 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    I would say he got a round of applause in the station


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    I would say he got a round of applause in the station

    why would you think that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 760 ✭✭✭Lustrum


    Has John Nally moved to England by any chance??


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭EL_Loco


    that's a sell up and move job, you'd be always waiting for the other 3 to return for revenge.

    sounds like he did all he had to, let them retreat, didn't follow up with attacking them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,440 ✭✭✭The Aussie


    EL_Loco wrote: »
    you'd be always waiting for the other 3 to return for revenge.

    By the way they ran the first time round, i dont think they will be back for seconds...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,036 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    Lustrum wrote: »
    Has John Nally moved to England by any chance??

    Nope, he's still knocking around - and understandably constantly worried about retribution. The Gardai haven't even given him back his gun.
    There's even a facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134692763233785 , which, poorly written and justified though it may be, nevertheless carries a reasonable message.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 479 ✭✭ball


    If it was self defense, as in, he was protecting his own life by stabbing the burglar, then fair enough, he did the right thing.
    If he stabbed him out rage when he saw the guy looking through his things, then it's murder.

    Just because the burglar was committing a crime, doesn't mean the householder can kill him and walk away without any punishment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,010 ✭✭✭Soups123


    fair play to him, only did what most would


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,900 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    true, but the right to self defense is important too. if some fella breaks into my home, goes to attack me and i stab him in the leg, that'd be self defense. if he's on blood thinning meds and bleeds to death down the road, does that make me guilty of murder??

    well I did say "automatic" right

    what if you stabbed him once and then he tried to run away but you went after him and kept stabbing all the way down the street??


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23,316 ✭✭✭✭amacachi


    Just because someone's been arrested on suspicion of murder doesn't mean there's been a murder. UK system is different to ours.

    Hopefully he walks out anyway. Will there be B+E charges for the other 3?


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