Betrayal on burglars law
By GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON
THE PM was blasted last night for refusing to hand homeowners tougher powers to tackle burglars.
Tony Blairs climbdown came weeks after he vowed to beef up laws.
He and Home Secretary Charles Clarke ruled the law will NOT change to give homeowners enhanced self-defence rights after all.
Mr Clarke justified their decision by citing advice from the Crown Prosecution Service and police chiefs.
Yesterday he said: Ive concluded the current law is sound but needs to be better explained to all concerned, especially for householders.
Last night Shadow Home Secretary David Davis fumed: Police officers, the public, even professional burglars said a change in the law would shift the balance towards victims.
A poll yesterday showed 99 per cent of the public believe they need greater rights of self-protection in their homes.
Last month outgoing Met chief Sir John Stevens insisted the current reasonable force law was too vague.
He said: People should be allowed to use what force is necessary without risk of prosecution.
On December 8, Mr Blair told MPs: I entirely understand the concern on this particular issue. I share the general comments of the Met Police Commissioner. If we get the right response well support a change in the law.
Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Donald added: People being burgled are frightened and it is the intruders fault if they behave that way.
But yesterday the Association of Chief Police Officers insisted the law merely needs clarifying.
A Home Office spokesman said Mr Clarke remains on the homeowners side, stressing few people are prosecuted for taking the law into their hands.
Pressure was building on the PM to act after a spate of burglaries in which homeowners who tackled intruders were murdered.
In one example, Arlindo Caeiro, 46, was arrested after he defended his wife and baby from a burglar wielding a metal bar by stabbing him with a bread knife.
Mr Caeiro was kept in custody for 20 hours before charges were dropped in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Caring dad Ian Ross, 37, of Exeter, Devon, clipped one of two teenage yobs trying to steal his five-year-old sons shoes round the ear.
When he reported the crime he was charged with assault and this week got 18 months probation.
