David's Daily Diversions

Powerless Rights

The Director of Public Prosecutions has issued new guidelines about home defense against burglars. The guidelines make clear that is it lawful to even kill an intruder in some circumstances. He said people can use objects as weapons, such as a bat, knife or gun, and almost any level of violence against a burglar could be acceptable in the right situation.

But wait - the Government took away all the guns in 1997. So, you can kill the intruder where you “honestly and instinctively believe is necessary”, but whilst you won't be prosecuted for using the gun, you will be prosecuted for unlawful possession of the gun.

So if you are a farmer - which you just about have to be to get a shotgun license (the only firearms left) - and you don't lie in wait like Tony Martin did - and you just happen to have the shotgun to hand when you are startled awake by the burglar, then you can shoot him. Otherwise, these new guidelines mean nothing.

The Government can now crow about how it has listened to the people and have at the same time effectively avoided doing anything.