Did anyone else hear the interview on BBC R4 "PM Programme" yesterday with the dead man's cousin? All about what a lovely family man he was and so on.
These sort of people have almost no morals, and no shame. They think they are right all the time, no matter what they do. They are never prepared to take responsibility for their actions, but they know how to demand their rights. I've had the misfortune to encounter odious individuals. Their attitude is that they have the right to burgle people and do what they want, and there is no effective punishment that we can do to stop them.
There are individuals in my home city (York) who are constantly burgling people, and only put away for a short time each time, only to reoffend almost instantly. Apologists for such individuals totally wrongly blame everyone but the burglar. There is no effective deterrent or punishment we have in this country to deal with serial burglars. And I am not confident there ever will be. It's a disgrace.
I have zero sympathy for such burglars - who have total disregard for good honest people - regardless of what happens to them, and I struggle to understand how any right-minded person can, but that's something they have to live with and we all know they are totally and utterly wrong. We won't ever change their views.
As more and more details come to light it's clear just what an odious individual this burglar was and it seems that the rest of his family are no better. I think it's highly unlikely that the householder will be prosecuted.
I certainly hope he won't be. If he is, then we need a
massive campaign against the CPS (who have acted disgracefully in numerous cases and done more than enough bungling in recent years)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/05/burglar-killed-pensioners-home-wanted-previous-robbery/
Henry Vincent, 37, from Kent, was stabbed during a break-in at the home of pensioner, Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, in Hither Green on Wednesday.
He was wanted over a separate burglary involving another elderly victim, it has emerged.
His family's gang operated in Kent and south London and was jailed for a total of almost 29 years in 2003 after conning pensioners out of £448,180.
[..]
Undeterred, Vincent was jailed again in 2009 after being convicted of defrauding an 80-year-old out of £72,000 for alleged roof repairs.
It has emerged that the pensioner - who was confronted by two intruders, one of them armed with a screwdriver - may have been trying to protect his wife Maureen.
One of the men went upstairs while Vincent scuffled with Mr Osborn-Brooks and was stabbed.
The family of the burglar is a disgrace. Their comments are highly provocative and make me feel angry:
His uncle Stevie, who lives close to his home in Orpington, said: “We’re in mourning here. We don’t want to talk about what’s been said about Henry. We’ve already had the Old Bill round here. We’re not commenting on anything.”
His cousin, who was not identified, told the BBC she was angry Mr Osborn-Brooks had been bailed. "I don't know what happened in that home. But all I do know is that my cousin is dead today," she said.
"The Henry I know, he was such a loving person, and it's probably something which just went wrong but he shouldn't have died out of it."
Henry was a horrible person. If he had had his way I have no doubt he would have continued to burgle people for decades. I am glad that this can no longer happen. But I am angry that many other career burglars and fraudsters will be allowed to continue to terrorise people in their own homes.
What a disgrace of a family. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Charlene Barnes, a property and legal adviser who lives in Ladywell not far from Mr Osborn-Brooks' home, said that three masked men had attempted to burgle her last October.
She told the Daily Telegraph that her 15-year-old daughter had called her screaming and told her they were attempting to get into their house in broad daylight and she rushed to the scene as the police were called.
The men were disturbed by one of her neighbour's sons and fled. Residents managed to detain one and take his "massive" knife from him, but he escaped before police arrived, she said.
Ms Barnes said: "It is a real fear around here, there is a big fear of burglary and knife crime.
There is no effective deterrent, so this is going to continue to be a big problem and get worse. Our legal system is a total and utter disgrace and assigns far too many rights and chances to absolutely disgraceful individuals. We need change.
