Pensioner, 78, arrested for ‘stabbing burglar in home’ has been released on bail

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Zoe Drewett for Metro.co.uk


https://i.imgur.com/r5eRIs3.jpg

A pensioner arrested on suspicion of murder over the stabbing of an intruder during a burglary at his home has been released on bail.

Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, has been bailed until May pending further enquiries, Scotland Yard said.

He was quizzed by police yesterday after fatally wounding the intruder during a suspected burglary at his home in Hither Green, south-east London, at around 12.45am on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old, who died after a struggle with the pensioner, had an accomplice who dragged him towards a van before leaving him for dead, according to an eyewitness.

Officers were called to reports of a burglary in progress after two men entered a house in South Park Crescent, the Metropolitan Police said.

https://i.imgur.com/kW1r6DO.jpg

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

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

They refused to confirm whether the suspect had been stabbed with the screwdriver.

The victim 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.

Adam Lake, who lives near the scene, said he did not feel safe from crime and that Mr Osborn-Brooks was ‘just protecting himself’.

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.’

https://i.imgur.com/ISt9Y08.jpg

The pensioner, who suffered bruising to his arms, was initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm but was further arrested on suspicion of murder, the Met said.

At least five forensic officers entered the house, guarded by police, on South Park Crescent just before 1pm on Wednesday.

A large purple forensic tent was erected by the front door.

The dead suspect’s next of kin have been informed. A post-mortem examination will be carried out in due course.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

[Goofy]

Load of fuckin shite, scumbag got what he deserved

[deebakes]

innocent!

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Load of fuckin shite, scumbag got what he deserved

I can't believe they arrest someone for protecting himself, especially when it was someone that broke into HIS home :facepalm:

[lost in melb.]

As a homeowner, you have everything to lose here. The intruders have nothing to lose, they can get away with murder and disappear.

[redred]

I can't believe they arrest someone for protecting himself, especially when it was someone that broke into HIS home :facepalm:Hes been arrested and sent out on bail while the police check he didn't go overboard with his actions, standard procedure

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Hes been arrested and sent out on bail while the police check he didn't go overboard with his actions, standard procedure

It's still absolutely ridiculous to arrest a 78 year old man who was defending himself and holding him until he posts bail.

[deebakes]

maybe they thought he was responsible for all the stabbings that are going on outside of his house too :idk:

[redred]

It's still absolutely ridiculous to arrest a 78 year old man who was defending himself and holding him until he posts bail.The bail thing is different than yours no money would be posted

[Muddy]

What a load of crap, cant even protect your house these days..

[Pony]

As a homeowner, you have everything to lose here. The intruders have nothing to lose, they can get away with murder and disappear.

Here the only person that would have been arrested for murder would have been the accomplice. They both broke into the house so they are both responsible for anything that happens as a result of that.

[redred]

So they would just take the word of the home owner that he didn't just drag someone off the street and kill them in his home without an investigation?

[Muddy]

Fair point.. ^

[Teh One Who Knocks]

So they would just take the word of the home owner that he didn't just drag someone off the street and kill them in his home without an investigation?

Doesn't sound like this guy dragged anyone inside his home:


Officers were called to reports of a burglary in progress after two men entered a house in South Park Crescent, the Metropolitan Police said.

[redred]

An thats what the investigation is for by the police, not what the media reports

[Pony]

So they would just take the word of the home owner that he didn't just drag someone off the street and kill them in his home without an investigation?

They absolutely would do an investigation. What they would not do is arrest him for murder first. Innocent until proven guilty.

[redred]

Thats in America:lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

They absolutely would do an investigation. What they would not do is arrest him for murder first. Innocent until proven guilty.

That's more of that 18th century thinking :hand:

[redred]

:lol: we need a few amendments or something

[DemonGeminiX]

:lol: we need a few amendments or something

And you wonder why we revolted in the first place. [-(

[redred]

To invent fast food ?

[DemonGeminiX]

Yep, that was exactly the point. Take over the world one Big Mac at a time.

[deebakes]

:homer:

[redred]

No action to be taken against the old boy , all charges now been dropped

[deebakes]

:woot:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Kelly-Ann Mills, Joe Middleton, & Amy-Clare Martin - The Mirror


https://i.imgur.com/1Ik5nXW.jpg
Flowers left in Hither Green, London, to Henry Vincent

A shrine to a dead burglar was set up yards away from the home where he was stabbed - as its pensioner owner is forced to stay away under police protection.

Dozens of flowers were attached to a fence just 20 yards away from Richard Osborn-Brooks' home in Hither Green paying tribute to Henry Vincent.

The career criminal died after being stabbed while breaking into the home last week where the 78-year-old owner lived with his wife Maureen.

Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released and faces no charges.

He and his wife have been forced to stay away under police protection and today officers were seen removing clothes and belongings including Roses chocolates and a phone charger.

A group of seven women arrived at South Park Crescent in London to add to the cards, balloons and flowers already left over the weekend.

https://i.imgur.com/E08cayY.jpg
A woman climbed the wall to attached their flower tributes

https://i.imgur.com/BhQ9oaR.jpg
A card left in Hither Green, London to intruder Henry Vincent

https://i.imgur.com/Tvmg3kx.jpg

Blue balloons saying "you'll be missed" swayed in the wind and red heart shaped balloons saying "I love you" were attached.

The mourners would not respond to any questions from reporters and stayed at the scene for around half an hour before leaving.

Overnight the tributes were taken down by angry members of the public, with one man filming himself doing it and posting footage on social media.

A card from one of Vincent's daughters told her dad not to worry about what people were saying about him.

It read: "They don't know what they're on about, they only know what they read, but I will try my hardest to get people to understand who you really was." [sic]

It went on: "Sorry dad that I wasn't with you and tell you that everything was going to be alright, you must have been frightened by yourself.

"I'll stand up for you dad, I won't let you down 'cos I know you wouldn't let me down."

Part of another card read: "I'm gonna miss you Henry Boy more than anything in this world

"There won't be one minute of the day or night that I won't be thinking of you.

"Your forever and always in my heart and my mind.

"I love you Henry Boy all the world.

"Love your Daddy xxx"

https://i.imgur.com/gyGYPLY.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MOoiq41.jpg

Vincent, 37, died in hospital after being stabbed.

The pensioner had found two men in his 1920s three bedroomed terraced house in the early hours on Wednesday.

While one went upstairs to search for valuables, Vincent, who was armed with a screwdriver forced Mr Osborn-Brooks into the kitchen.

A struggle broke out and Vincent was stabbed in the upper body.

He and his accomplice fled the house but Vincent collapsed in nearby Further Green Road.

Clothes and books belonging to the elderly couple were removed from the property today.

What are thought to be two plain clothes police officers turned up in a Ford transit van and entered the house.

They then carried three bags out of the house which contained clothes, a hair dryer, books, a tin of Roses chocolates and a phone charger.

Their neighbours reacted to the shrine near the boarded up home with fury.

One woman who did not want to be named said: "That should not be there, it is someone's fence.

"It's all a bit over the top. It's out of order.

https://i.imgur.com/0PsyFTN.jpg
A card from a daughter of Henry Vincent

https://i.imgur.com/EGMXmfv.jpg

"The man should not have burgled the property in the first place."

Another long term resident said: "They have taken over the road with this but he can't move back? Doesn't seem fair."

Theresa Webb, 43, a consultant nutritional therapist who lives on the road said the community are "mourning the loss of a life" but their first thoughts are with Richard and his wife.

She said: "It's a great shame Richard and his wife might never move back to the area again.

"Our first thoughts are with Richard and his wife and to make sure they are being cared for and looked after. "

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:|

[Muddy]

To my sweet sweet daddy, the THIEF.

[Griffin]

They should arrest all of them for littering.

[Noilly Pratt]

:huh: Save that for the funeral. If you don't want your life cut short, don't be a criminal. Life's kinda simple if you let it be.

[deebakes]

the spelling and grammar on those hand written cards is atrocious... i think the pensioner needs to do some more stabbing :shrug:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Tom Herbert for Metro.co.uk


https://i.imgur.com/KavUfGs.jpg

The police have asked the public to ‘respect the wishes’ of anyone who wants to pay tribute to burglar Henry Vincent.

Vincent’s loved ones created a ‘shrine’ to him after he was killed during a botched burglary at the home of pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks.

But the cards and flowers were torn down by ‘vigilantes’ who argued they were an insult to the 78-year-old Osborn-Brooks, who has gone into hiding over fears of a revenge attack.

Vincent’s friends and family soon put the tributes back up – only for them to be ripped down again in a row that has been repeated over the past two days.

So far, tributes to the 37-year-old have been destroyed four times.

https://i.imgur.com/3uKaQn7.jpg
Iain Gordon pulls the flowers down from a fence opposite the house of Richard Osborn-Brooks in Hither Green
(Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

https://i.imgur.com/fGXDDOl.jpg

And now police are said to be guarding the tributes and have reportedly threatened anyone who tears them down again with arrest.

Mike, who cut down tributes yesterday, told the Sun: ‘There’s a copper standing right next to the fence keeping an eye on the flowers. It’s in case the travellers come down at the same time but they haven’t yet.

‘We will take them down again if needed. It’s just a case of who’s brave enough to do it.’

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘They are not there to safeguard or facilitate the laying of floral tributes; we are liaising with the local authority who are considering appropriate management of the floral tributes.

‘I do not want anyone to feel intimidated or that they are not being allowed to respond in a dignified way to a tragic death.

https://i.imgur.com/cN4OuZf.jpg
Floweres are torn down by a local man shortly after they are put up (Picture: Grant Falvey/LNP)

‘We would urge members of the public to respect the wishes of those who choose to place flowers and other tributes in the area.

‘We would also request those placing tributes or visiting the area to behave in a responsible manner so as not to disrupt the local community.

‘A small police presence remains in place in and around South Park Crescent to provide reassurance to the public.

‘There have been no arrests. Officers will assess any potential criminal offences including any allegations that are made to police, which will be dealt with in a fair and appropriate manner on an individual basis.’

Iain Gordon became the latest person to rip down flowers across the street from Mr Osborn-Brooks’ home in Hither Green, south-east London.

These people are scum bags, scum bags, scum bags,’ the angry campaigner from the Fair Society group said.

Mr Osborn-Brooks was been arrested over Vincent’s death on April 4 but later released without charge.

He was hailed a hero for confronting the burglar and his alleged accomplice Billy Jeeves, 28, who police are still trying to trace.

But Vincent’s family had earlier criticised people who took flowers down honouring him.

His cousin Elvina Lee called those people ‘scum’ and added: ‘This is the best place for these flowers to be.

‘I don’t know what’s wrong with these people (who dismantled them)… I think they’re scum.’

[DemonGeminiX]

:facepalm:

[deebakes]

:ffs: