Tony Martin Confronts Burglar

10 May 2013, 13:48 | Updated: 10 May 2013, 14:07

Farmer Tony Martin, who was jailed for shooting dead a burglar at his Norfolk home in 1999, has confronted a burglar on his property.

Mr Martin was convicted of murder, then manslaughter after thieves broke into his home at Emneth Hungate in Norfolk in 1999.

Martin said he confronted the burglar on Thursday, May 9th near an outbuilding at his property near Wisbech, confronted him, and the burglar drove off, and that he decided not to attempt to stop him, adding: "I couldn't face going through all that again.''

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: "Police were called to reports of an attempted burglary of outbuildings at a property in Wisbech at around 1.20pm yesterday. Inquiries are ongoing.''

Mr Martin was living alone at his farmhouse in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, nicknamed Bleak House, when he caught Brendon Fearon, then 29, and Fred Barras, 16, inside his house. He fired his shotgun three times towards the intruders, killing Baras.

He was initially jailed for nine years after being convicted of murder but the conviction was reduced to manslaughter on appeal and his sentence was reduced to three years. The case provoked a national debate about the measures homeowners can take to defend their property.

Speaking about the latest incident, Mr Martin, who no longer lives in Emneth Hungate, said he was visiting the shed when he saw the man attempting to steal car batteries. He said: "There were weapons inside the shed so, if I had wanted to fight him off, I could have.

"I wished I had but, after everything I've been through in the past, I just couldn't face all that hassle again.

"It isn't the first time it's happened since I've been out of prison - it's happened two or three times.

"I haven't changed my views about what happened in 1999 but the whole experience has made me lose faith in the system and I didn't want to be made out as the criminal again.''

Mr Martin added that he had suffered from depression in recent years and events since his conviction had highlighted the dangers that people living in rural areas can face. He added: "I could have got in front of this guy's car but I remembered that case and didn't want to get myself killed.

"I'm angry that things like this are still happening and that there's nothing people like me can do to protect ourselves.

"But I'm tired of it all so I've done what you're supposed to do and reported it to police.

"They came and saw me immediately but I don't know if anything will be done about it, we'll see.''

The 67-year-old said he became suspicious when he saw two vans parked near the outbuildings on Thursday. Although he confronted one man, who then dropped the batteries, breaking one of them, he later said there may have been two men present.