Bad: UK - Man arrested after confronting gang at home

[razz]

Only in Britain would they arrest the victim and charge him with attempted murder because, while scuffling with a gang of thugs who invaded his home, he stabbed a criminal with a letter opener! (I'll bet they ban "assault" letter openers next.)

Britain's crime rate is now the highest in Europe, higher than America, and on it's way to beating South Africa. Yep - that gun control really works!

Man held after confronting gang at home - Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk
Man held after confronting gang at home

A businessman was held on suspicion of attempted murder after confronting a gang of youths who allegedly threatened to kill his wife and attacked his stepson outside their home.

Ben Leach and David Barrett
Published: 10:35PM BST 25 Jul 2009

Colin Philpott was roused from bed and, still barefoot, challenged the group as his stepson, Alex, was battered in the front garden of the family's #500,000 property.

In the scuffle which followed, one of the youths, named locally as Josh Hasler, was stabbed a number of times and collapsed in the street. Police were called, leading to the arrest of Mr Philpott and five of the youths, aged 16 and 17.

The incident took place in an estate in Crowthorne, Berks, which residents said had been plagued by problems with drunken, rowdy teenagers from outside the area who congregate at a nearby park.

Mr Philpott's wife, Susanne, said she confronted the gang on Friday night after her husband's van was damaged.

"It was all so very surreal and scary. You never expect this kind of violence to happen in your neighbourhood, let alone on your doorstep," said Mrs Philpott, a training consultant.

"When the police arrived and arrested Colin, I was gobsmacked. It was heartbreaking to see him handcuffed and carted off like a common criminal - he is a hardworking, honest family man.

"Any action taken by my husband was as a result of a desire to protect his family and loved ones, and to defend his property."

Mrs Philpott said her neighbourhood had recently experienced problems with drunken behaviour involving youths.

She said she and her son left their home after they heard a bang. She added: "We saw two young guys outside our house. When we saw a big dent in my husband's van, Alex asked them if they had done it. They denied it and disappeared off around the corner.

"They returned 15 minutes later - with three others - and were all visibly drunk.

"When they started shouting outside the house, we came out again and this time I took a digital camera with me and told them that if they vandalised anything else, I'd take pictures as evidence.

"It was then that one particularly drunk and rowdy teenager threatened me. He said that if I took a picture, he would kill me and burn down my house.

"I was terrified by his words and when Alex tried to calm him down, the other four got worked up and the gang attacked him.

"He ended up on the ground with all five of those yobs on him, kicking him in the head and stomach.

"I was so frightened for him that I screamed for Colin, who until this point had been in bed. He came running out - still barefoot and half asleep - and saw the mess that Alex was in.

"In the blink of an eye, the lads attacked Colin and I saw one stumble into the road as Colin screamed for me to call the police and ambulance service."

Mrs Philpott's 25-year-old son was treated in hospital for a broken nose and concussion.

The 16-year-old boy who was stabbed five times in the chest was said to be in a stable condition at Royal Berkshire Hospital.

It was believed a letter opener may have been involved in the incident. Police arrested Mr Philpott, 57, who runs an escalator cleaning company, on suspicion of attempted murder. He was held in custody.

Mrs Philpott, 51, said the tree-lined road where the family lives had been blighted by unruly teenagers attacking cars and pulling up plants and flowers from gardens for several months.

Earlier this week, Mr Philpott's Jaguar S-type car was smeared with hair gel while it was parked in the driveway.

Stephen Webb, a neighbour, said: "They do get a lot of drinking and trouble down that end of the road." Yesterday, police installed a panic alarm at the Philpotts' five-bedroom home in case they were targeted again.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said that three 17-year-old and two 16-year-old boys had been arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage and were in custody.

Police added last night that Mr Philpott had been released on bail.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[tinkerinWstuff]

Only in Britain would they arrest the victim and charge him with attempted murder

Unless I missed it, I didn't see where the article said he had been "charged." I guess I'm not sure but if Britain's court operates like ours, lets hope their "DA" decides not to prosicute.

Rediculous

[InspectorGadget]

We have to have stronger Letter Opener Laws with Serialization and registration of all Letter Openers longer than 1in. There letter openers are out of control and must be brought under control or banned all together, Regardless of what the Racist NLOA (National Letter Opener Association) lawyers try to tell you. These unregulated letter openers are instruments of evil that are used in bank robberies, and murders all over the country. THIS LETTER OPENER MADNESS MUST STOP, PEOPLE DON”T KILL PEOPLE, LETTER OPENERS KILL PEOPLE!!!!!

Sorry just took a momentary trip into Brady World.

[retsupt99]

...coming soon to a country near you?

[lenf45]

OPENERS KILL PEOPLE!!!!!

Sorry just took a momentary trip into Brady World.[/QUOTE]

[Rustynuts]

I've written off the UK long ago. Bunch of nanny britches loons.

[JOHNSMITH]

Absolutely terrible. Kids being drunk in public is a huge problem over in Europe in general, compared to here, believe it or not. And they know no bounds of decency.

I'm sure the UK public won't bat an eye towards this innocent family man's life essentially being ended right here.

I can guarantee you those "youths" responsible for the scuffle will probably be released in a few days, free to go, while the guy will probably be in prison for many years and lose all of his "rights" - although they don't have those in the UK.

[ccw9mm]

Arrested for attempted murder, for defending your family.

In the area of crime, the people of the U.K. are subjecting themselves to a surreal and absurd game of Whack-A-Mole, in which the governing forces lop the head off a subject whenever one raises his/her head into view. Sad.

[ccman]

bad but true over there.

[packinnova]

Lets face it folks...at the rate we're going, it's going to be coming to a neighborhood near you.

[EW3]

Absolutely nothing surprises me about the UK anymore.

Now they want to install CCTV in 20,000 homes over there, to monitor kids and make sure they are doing their HW and going to bed on time. I kid you not!

[Janq]

Lets face it folks...at the rate we're going, it's going to be coming to a neighborhood near you.

Yup.

- Janq

[tiwee]

Isn't English common law the origin of Castle Doctrine? What has happened to those people?

[tmizzi]

...coming soon to a country near you?

I'm afraid you are dead on as usual.

[stormbringerr]

...coming soon to a country near you?

i think Texas will succeed if so. whats a panic alarm anyway?