Ian Thompson vs. Richard Osborn-Brooks: which is the greater outrage?

In the news today, seen first at Small Dead Animals, is the story of Mr. Richard Osborn-Brooks, who was attacked by two armed men in his own home, and managed to drive them away by allegedly stabbing one of them.

A 78-year-old homeowner has been arrested by murder detectives after a suspected burglar he fought with in his own kitchen died of a stab wound. 

The pensioner, named locally as Richard Osborn-Brooks, was upstairs asleep with his wife when he was woken by the two men breaking into his suburban home in Hither Green, south-east London last night.

He was forced into his kitchen by one of the men, who was armed with a screwdriver, before a struggle ensued.

The intruder, a 38-year-old man, was left with wounds to his chest and local residents say he collapsed in a neighbouring road and died in hospital.  

The homeowner was initially detained on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm but was later arrested on suspicion of murder. The case has been compared to that of Tony Martin, who was jailed for killing an intruder at his home in 1999.

The break-in comes amid a surge in violence in the capital, with 49 people already having died in crimes in London in 2018. Last night's death brings the toll to 50.

So, arrested and charged with murder by the British Crown after defending himself in his own home, and letting the perps escape to boot. That's pretty bad. But I can top it.

Ian Thompson.

Early one August morning in 2010, four masked men shouting death threats began hurling firebombs at Mr. Thomson's home. One of his pet dogs was injured; several fires in and around his home were set.

Mr. Thomson, an experienced firearms instructor, called 911 immediately. He also armed himself with a .38 calibre revolver, stepped outside his home and fired three shots — one into his lawn, and two into a stand of trees. His attackers fled, and were later arrested. All four pleaded guilty to arson and disregard for human life, and were sentenced to between two and three years in prison.

So ended the first threat against Mr. Thomson. The next began immediately thereafter.

Mr. Thomson was charged with four crimes: careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm and two charges of careless storage of a firearm, one for each of the pistols he had removed from his gun safe (the second, a 9mm pistol, was never fired during the incident). The first two charges were dropped — it's hard to imagine a more cut-and-dry case of lawful self defence than firing on men trying to burn down your home while you're inside it. But the Crown insisted on pursuing the charges of careless storage.

What tyrannical hell hole does Mr. Thompson live in? Port Colborne Ontario, down the road from me.

So while it is plain the the British government has decided that law abiding citizens are not allowed to use force to defend themselves, the Canadian government has decided that we are not to be allowed to even frighten deadly attackers away. We are expected to let them burn our houses down.

Just so we are all clear what the deal is, okay?

The Phantom.