From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] RELIEF FOR PAIR WHO LEFT BURGLAR WITH FRACTURED SKULL 041821 MAY 00 By Emma Hibbs and Damien Brook, PA News Two men tonight spoke of their relief at not being charged after they beat up a burglar with a metal baseball bat. Burglar David Summers, 21, made allegations of assault after the attack left him with fractures to his skull, ribs, wrists and elbow. Lee Gapper and his lodger George Goodayle were initially arrested and handcuffed but police and Crown Prosecution Service lawyers decided that they used reasonable force. Judge Hugh Mayor jailed Summers for a year at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday. He told him: "You brought that on yourself and I have no sympathy for those who receive hurt while committing a crime." Mr Gapper, 20, who used the bat, said: "I think the judge in our case was quite right with what he said. I was just defending my house and my property. "When I came downstairs I was genuinely frightened and when I saw him (Summers) raise what I thought was a spanner I just hit him." Mr Goodayle, 21, who punched the intruder in the attack at the house in Peterborough, Cambs, said: "There should be a change in the law allowing homeowners to attack on sight people who break into their property. "It should be similar to the US where you can shoot burglars." Mr Goodayle, who served as a paratrooper in Northern Ireland, added: "I served Queen and country for four years and I don't see why I should let someone else break in to my home and take whatever they want." This incident happened 20 miles from where farmer Tony Martin shot dead 16-year-old burglar Fred Barras and was jailed for life for murder last month. Nick Makin, who represents Martin, said: "The case again shows that the police are more willing to tackle victims, and arrest victims than they are burglars. Victims make the soft target for the police." Mr Gapper said: "What happened to him (Martin) was disgraceful. We are planning to attend his appeal hearing." After reporting the burglary, the two men were arrested, handcuffed and left in a police cell for 12 hours before they were interviewed. Mr Makin said: "I am astounded in this situation that police arrested and handcuffed them. "Whilst we don't like to see anyone hurt physically in any situation we consider that burglars are volunteers. "They go into property voluntarily knowing the risks and the judge is right they can't complain if they get hurt as a result of taking those risks. "The Peterborough case contrasts to the soft treatment that happened to convicted burglars in Mr Martin's trial. The judge didn't take that into account." Matt Tapp, a spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police, said: "The judge in court seems to have agreed with the stance of the police and CPS that the degree of force used in this case was reasonable. "As in the Tony Martin case, what is reasonable can't be black and white. The onus is on a person who fears for their safety to use specific judgment on what is defensible action." Summers, who admitted burglary, said that the break-in was not planned but he wanted to get money to feed his drug addiction. Kenneth Pantling Whatever happens they have got The Maxim Gun, and we have not. -------[Cybershooters contacts]-------- Editor: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website & subscription info: www.cybershooters.org
