Police chief backs review of right to defend home (From Warrington Guardian)

Police chief backs review of right to defend home

THE Chief Constable of Cheshire Police, Peter Fahy, says that victims of burglary have the right to defend themselves and their property and should not have to worry about being arrested.

His comments came soon after the Government announced a review of the law concerning a person's right to defend their home.

The law currently provides homeowners with the right to use 'reasonable force' to defend themselves and their homes and it is left to judges and juries to decide if the force used in each case is reasonable.

Ch Con Fahy said he would support a change in the law if it made the situation clearer.

"I want the people to know that as Chief Constable I fully support the idea," he said.

"The law should be clear and should send a very clear message to criminals that members of the public do have the right, under the law, to defend themselves and their property.

"In protecting their homes they should not have to be worrying about the threat of arrest."

The Court of Appeal has made it clear that juries must take full account of all the circumstances, particularly that a householder is acting in the heat of the moment and cannot always expect to be thinking in a completely rational way.