Pensioner held for murder over fatal stabbing of home intruder 'was just protecting himself', neighbours say

Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, has been released on police bail after being arrested and questioned on suspicion of murder

Neighbours of Richard Osborn-Brooks, the pensioner arrested on suspicion of murder after the fatal stabbing of an intruder during a suspected burglary, have insisted he should not be punished for defending himself at home.

Police released Mr Osborn-Brooks, 78, on bail on Thursday after questioning him in connection with what happened during the suspected burglary at his London home at around 12.45am on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police said that after two men, one of them allegedly armed with a screwdriver, entered the house, there was a struggle and a 37-year-old died.

Mr Osborn-Brooks, who reportedly lives in the house with a wife who suffers from dementia, sustained bruising in the incident. On Thursday afternoon it emerged that he had previously donated money towards a scheme to reduce burglary in his street.

His neighbours in Hither Green, south-east London, defended his alleged actions and expressed anxiety that a “traditional Englishman” was now in distress.

“The burglars have made a criminal [suspect] of him,” said an elderly woman with a Neighbourhood Watch sticker on her front window. ”They were indoors minding their own business and their world has been turned upside down. I feel so sorry for him and his wife.”

Adam Lake, who lives near the scene, said he did not feel safe from crime. He said: “He doesn’t deserve to be punished for defending himself, and the neighbours that I’ve spoken to all agree that the priority needs to be to support him after everything that he’s been through. He was just protecting himself after all.”

Another of Mr Osborn-Brooks’ neighbours said: “He deserves a medal. You cannot break into people’s houses.

“[I’ve heard] he’s a carer. This is a pensioner who has worked all his life who wants to live and die quietly.”

The woman, who did not want to be named, added: “I lived in America, if this was in America this wouldn’t be a big issue.”

The case appears to have similarities with that of Norfolk farmer Tony Martin who shot dead 16-year-old burglar Fred Barras and wounded his 29-year-old accomplice Brendon Fearon after they entered his property in August 1999.

There was a public outcry about the right of homeowners to defend themselves after Mr Martin was arrested, but the farmer was convicted of murder after a Crown Court trial and sentenced to life imprisonment.

After an appeal, however, this was reduced to a five-year sentence for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Martin was freed in 2003 after having served three years.

In the current incident, police said they were called to reports of a burglary in progress after two men entered a house in South Park Crescent, Hither Green.

The force said one suspect, apparently armed with a screwdriver, forced the 78-year-old homeowner into his kitchen when he discovered them, while his accomplice went upstairs.

Detectives believe a struggle ensued between “one of the males and the homeowner” and the intruder was stabbed in the upper body.

The 37-year-old man was later found collapsed in nearby Further Green Road by paramedics from London Ambulance Service, who took him to a central London hospital where he died at 3.37am.

A witness who lives in the road said he saw an apparent accomplice flee the scene after initially trying to rescue the wounded burglary suspect.

The witness recalled seeing a white Vauxhall Astra van pull up next to a man “moaning and groaning” on the street who was “bleeding heavily from his chest through his shirt”.

The van’s driver attempted to drag the man into the vehicle before driving off north when he noticed he was being watched, the witness said.

“People have been talking” the witness said. “I think that it was a knife and the wound was an inch long. I think from what my partner said that [the driver] pulled it out and threw it away.

“The man on the ground was wearing a blue T-shirt and it was pulled up. I think he was dead already. His pupils were completely dilated.”

The second suspect fled the scene and has yet to be found.

Mr Osborn-Brooks was initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm but was further arrested on suspicion of murder.

After questioning, he was bailed to return to a south London police station in early May.

The support for Mr Osborn-Brooks among his neighbours appeared near-universal on Thursday morning. They described him as “a traditional Englishman” who looked after his wife and had been retired for 26 years. With some neighbours suggesting there should be protests in support of the pensioner, a Neighbourhood Watch meeting was due to be held at a local church on Thursday night to discuss the incident.

A 57-year-old woman, who lives within the police cordon but asked not to be named, said: “I support him 100 per cent. It’s out of order going into people’s houses, it serves them right really.

“He defended his house like anybody would.

“He’s a traditional Englishman. He and his wife were an elderly couple. You would see them going shopping all the time together.

“I think it’s good everyone supports him, because anyone would do the same thing to protect their property and their wife or husband.”

Melissa Darfoor, 22, who lives with her mother a few doors from Mr Osborn-Brooks home, said: “He was defending himself – and I think other people think the same thing. People should protest for him and back him.”

Miss Dafoor, whose family is part of the local Neighbourhood Watch, added: “We had a burglary last year, a window was smashed and people came in. I think he had the right to defend his house.”

Timothy Mgbeobuna, 63, who lives several doors away with his wife and four children, added: “We all support him defending himself, his property and his wife. There’s a good community here, it’s so quiet, this is quite unusual.”

On Thursday afternoon it emerged that Mr Osborn-Brooks had previously donated money towards a scheme to reduce burglary in his street.

Councillor Mark Ingleby said the pensioner had helped fund the imposing black gate that now stands just a few yards from his house in South Park Crescent, blocking off an alleyway.

It had been put in place as part of a scheme to build a series of gates to block off a number of private alleyways that had become a hotbed for crime including drug dealing in that part of Hither Green.

Mr Ingleby said: "This gate was around £900. He [Mr Osborn-Brooks] was one of the people that donated towards it.”

Mr Ingleby added that he did not know exactly how much the pensioner had donated.

He said: "People donate between £20, £50 or even £150 or more.”

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, leading the investigation, appealed for help finding the second burglary suspect.

He 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. Did you see this vehicle? Do you know where it went after this? I ask anyone to contact our incident room as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information should contact the Incident Room on 020 8721 4205 or call 101 quoting reference CAD214/4Apr.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.