MoJ: Householders can protect themselves if in ‘mortal danger’
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has admitted its “sympathies” still lie with homeowners in defence of their property after an armed burglar died from stabbed wounds.
‘Career criminal’ Henry Vincent, 37, died following a burglary at the south London home of 78-year-old Richard Osborn-Brooks in the early hours of Wednesday (April 4).
Mr Osborn-Brooks, arrested on suspicion of murder, was released with no further action by the Metropolitan Police Service on Friday (April 9).
The force has released an image of a second suspect, 28-year-old Billy Jeeves, who is wanted in connection with the break-in.
It has since emerged that Mr Vincent helped con pensioners out of more than £500,000 with his father and five of his uncles.
Former Policing Sir Minister Mike Penning said that the decision to arrest the pensioner on suspicion of murder had appeared “heavy-handed”.
And a MoJ spokesperson added: “While we cannot comment on specific cases, our sympathies are with householders who have to defend themselves when intruders break in. That’s why we strengthened the law in 2013 to give householders greater protection from intruders.
“Those changes make it clear that if a householder believes their life or the lives of their family are in danger, and they act in self-defence, they would not ordinarily be convicted of an offence.”
In January, Mr Vincent was named and pictured by Kent Police regarding an investigation into a distraction burglary in which jewellery and valuables were stolen from a man in his 70s.
During the botched raid in Hither Green on Wednesday, an accomplice reportedly dragged Mr Vincent toward a van before leaving him for dead, according to a witness.
The second man has not been found and at least one suspect was believed to be armed with a screwdriver, the Metropolitan Police Service said.
Detectives believe a struggle broke out between one of the burglars and Mr Osborne-Brooks before Mr Vincent was stabbed in the upper body and found collapsed in a neighbouring street.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, leading the investigation, said: “I would like to speak with anyone who has information regarding the outstanding suspect from the burglary, who is believed to be a white male; he may have told someone what happened at the address.
“It is possible that he fled the scene in a vehicle, possibly a white van, leaving the scene in the direction of Further Green Road.”
A Kent Police spokesperson said the appeal over the distraction burglary expired in February but the investigation is ongoing.
The force added: “Following an appeal for information, a man was arrested and released under investigation.”
Vincent was in a gang with his relatives, operating in Kent and south London, that were jailed for a total of almost 29 years at Croydon Crown Court in 2003 after conning pensioners out of £448,180.
They would knock on doors and suggest homeowners had structural problems, promising to fix them for huge fees – even escorting their victims to the bank so they could withdraw the cash to pay for the work.
Two of the family members made a woman in her 80s sign away her £150,000 property. They all admitted deception charges.
Vincent was jailed again in 2009 after being convicted of defrauding an 80-year-old out of £72,000 for alleged roof repairs.
On Tuesday (April 10), floral tributes tied to a fence opposite the Hither Green home where the suspected burglar died were discovered torn down and left on the pavement.
The “shrine of tributes” had reportedly been placed by members of Mr Vincent’s family on Monday (April 9).