Self-defence in the News - No. 23

Burglars 'can be stabbed' in Britain

Burglars 'can be stabbed' in Britain

IN THE CLEAR: Britain's Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.

Last updated 09:52 30/06/2011

An individual who stabs a burglar while defending themselves, or their property will not face prosecution, Kenneth Clarke, Britain's Justice Secretary, has said, promising any lingering doubts over the controversial issue will be clarified in a new law.

"If an old lady finds she has got an 18-year-old burglar in her house and she picks up a kitchen knife and sticks it in him, she has not committed a criminal offence," he said in a BBC interview.

Clarke was reacting to the high-profile case of a suspected burglar who was stabbed to death during a break-in at a house in Salford last week. The victim was one of a gang of four men, some wearing balaclavas.

The householder was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Clarke said new legislation being prepared by the government would make it "absolutely clear" that individuals were allowed to use "reasonable force to defend ourselves to protect our homes, or both."

He said the law needed urgent clarification to make sure no one who took those steps will be prosecuted or convicted in future.

Under the 2008 Criminal Justice Act homeowners in England can use "reasonable force" to protect themselves against intruders without fear of prosecution, but Clarke said there had been "constant doubt" over issue and its interpretation by the courts which had to be removed.

"We will make it quite clear you can hit the burglar with a poker if he is in the house and (that) you have a perfect defence if you do so, and given the doubts that have been expressed, we are going to clarify that," he said.

However, Clarke said ordinary members of the public will not be able to take the law into their own hands.

"What they are not entitled to do is go running down the road chasing them or to shoot them in the back ... or to get their friends together to beat them up."

Prime Minister David Cameron said last week the government would put the thorny issue of self-defence for homeowners and shopkeepers "beyond doubt."

- Reuters

Self-defence in the News - No. 22

Girl grabbed on way to school


Girl grabbed on way to school


Published: 3:53PM Tuesday June 21, 2011 Source: Newstalk ZB




Auckland police are patrolling the Ponsonby area after a man grabbed the arm of a 12-year-old school girl this morning and made a lewd suggestion.

The girl aimed a swift kick to his groin, causing him to loosen his hold and she ran off.

The incident took place in Douglas Street at around 7.45am.

The man is described as being scrawny, possibly in his 40s, of unknown ethnicity but with an orange hue to his complexion.

He's short and had long grey or silvery hair and was wearing a grey sweatshirt with large pockets on the front.




Girl kicks sex predator in groin


Girl kicks sex predator in groin


3:36 PM Tuesday Jun 21, 2011

A 12-year-old girl kicked a man in the groin to escape his sexual advances in the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby today.

The man approached the girl as she walked to school along Douglas Street before 8am.

Sergeant Paul Black, of Ponsonby police, said the man allegedly grabbed the student by the arm and made a lewd suggestion before she kicked him in the groin and ran to school.

Police were called by the school deputy principal and searched in vain for the man.

He was described as of unknown ethnicity, scrawny, possibly in his 40s, about 165cm tall with long grey or silver hair and with an orange hue to his complexion.

He was wearing a grey sweatshirt with large pockets on the front.

Mr Black appealed to anyone who knew the man or had information about someone fitting the description to contact police or phone Crimestoppers.

- NZPA

Self-defence in the News - No. 21

Green Island woman knees intruder in groin


Green Island woman knees intruder in groin


Home » News » Dunedin
By Hamish McNeilly on Mon, 20 Jun 2011
News: Dunedin Crime


A balaclava-clad man was kneed in the groin after surprising a woman at her Green Island home early yesterday.

The woman was returning to her Thomson St home shortly after 1am when she was confronted at her front door by a male intruder who grabbed her by the throat, Senior Sergeant Steve Aitken said.

"She defended herself by kneeing him in the groin," he said.

The man, who was wearing dark clothes and a balaclava, ran off.

Police patrols in the area failed to locate the man.

Snr Sgt Aitken praised the actions of the woman, who was left shaken from the incident.

"She did a fantastic job in protecting herself," Snr Sgt Aitken said.

Police believe the man, who was between 170cm and 180cm tall and of medium build, had been trying to gain access to her property at the time she returned home.

Snr Sgt Aitken said police were also investigating another reported case of a balaclava-clad man in dark clothing at Green Island School on Friday night.

He reportedly accosted two youths.

Self-defence in the News - No. 20

Gun terror: 'I'll shoot her'


Gun terror: 'I'll shoot her'


By Michael Dickison

5:30 AM Friday Jun 17, 2011





Security camera footage of the robbery. Photo / Supplied



A shopkeeper used a hockey stick to fend off an armed gunman who was holding a pistol to the head of a customer, the mother of "two beautiful, young children".

As the robber demanded cash from the till - "Give me money or I'll shoot her" - the dairy owner had other ideas.

Jayesh Amin, owner of the Farm Cove Superette in East Auckland, said he could think only of saving the woman, a regular customer who he knew had two children.

Mr Amin was preparing to close the shop at 7.45pm on Wednesday when his last customer approached the counter with a couple of icecreams.

At the same moment, a young hooded man ran in, grabbed the woman by the neck, shoved a pistol at her head and yelled: "Give me money or I'll shoot her."

For a couple of seconds, Mr Amin stood frozen. "I was shocked because it happened so fast. I didn't understand what was happening."

Another man came in with a metal bar and told the first offender: "Go ahead, bro, go ahead, bro. Shoot her, bro."

As the second man lunged across the counter, Mr Amin was too rattled to notice that a third robber had followed the others into the store.

Mr Amin took $600 from the till and held it up.

"I offered the money. I told them to leave the woman alone and take the money: 'Don't do anything silly - just leave the woman'."

But instead of reaching for the money, the three young men yelled further threats at the female customer.

"They should have come to me to take the money but they didn't," Mr Amin said.

"It was very hard to know what to do because I had shown them the money. My first priority was to save the woman. She was local and I knew she had two beautiful young children."

So Mr Amin reached behind the counter for a hockey stick he had there and swung wildly at the three men.

He struck one, then ran around the counter towards the man with the gun.

The three men scurried out the front door.

"I think they got a little scared," Mr Amin said.

Police were quickly on the scene - Mr Amin's wife saw the incident on a security camera monitor in their upstairs residence, and called 111.

Two teenagers have been arrested for the robbery and appeared in court yesterday. Two others - one the driver of a getaway car - are being sought.

Last night, Mr Amin said he was still shaking because of the ordeal.

"I'm so tired. I couldn't sleep all night," he said. "From yesterday morning at seven, I haven't slept. I was so scared."

The drama did not end with the robbers running out the door.

Mr Amin chased them outside and called for help. The owner and chef from the next-door restaurant came to his aid.

The three robbers then ran to a car driven by a fourth man and sped away - only to be pursued by a member of the public.

The man chased the offenders until they stopped the car, got out and one pointed the gun at him.

As the man tried to flee, his rear windscreen shattered.

Police say they are exploring several possible reasons for the window breaking, and have not confirmed that it was caused by a gunshot.

The four offenders abandoned the car, and police later found an air pistol in it.

The two men arrested are aged 17 and 18 and appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday on charges of assault with intent to rob, threatening to kill and commission of a crime with a firearm. Further charges may follow.

Police said that the store owner and the customer escaped serious injury but had been extremely shaken by events and were being counselled by Victim Support.

Detective Senior Sergeant Albie Alexander said criminal investigation branch staff had examined the premises and were following "very positive" leads regarding the identity of the two missing suspects.

By Michael Dickison

Self-defence in the News - No. 19

Sth Dunedin storekeeper foils robbery


Sth Dunedin storekeeper foils robbery



By Matthew Haggart on Tue, 14 Jun 2011
News: Dunedin



Proprietors of the 10 O'Clock Dairy (from left) Vhiyou Song and Ge Song speak to police about an alleged attempted armed robbery at the Dunedin store last night, as witness Cory Craik waits beside the trio. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.


A south Dunedin shopkeeper "chased off" an alleged offender who presented a knife and demanded money at his Prince Albert Rd dairy last night, police say.
Dunedin police are investigating the attempted robbery - the fourth instance where a "skinny" male caucasian has demanded money from shopkeepers around the city in the past week.

The 10 O'Clock Dairy shopkeeper Ge Song said a man walked into the store and pulled a knife on him.

"One guy walk in; taken knife out and he want money," Mr Song said.

There had been another attempted robbery in the area recently, at the Stadium Store in Victoria St.

"I don't give him no money," Mr Song said.

Senior Sergeant Craig Brown said the man had been chased off the premises after he allegedly presented a knife and demanded money about 9.20pm.

Police were investigating whether the man, "a male caucasian of skinny build and dressed in dark clothing", was linked to other recent incidents around Dunedin, Snr Sgt Brown said.

Police had cordoned off the area.

The BP service station in Mornington and the Green Island Post and Paper were robbed last week.

A man had also demanded cash from a shop worker at the Stadium Store, but had walked out when he was refused money, last Monday evening.

The offenders in these cases have been described by police as thin caucasians, wearing dark glasses, hoodies, and jeans.



Dairy owner dishes out super soakings


Dairy owner dishes out super soakings


By John Lewis on Wed, 15 Jun 2011
News: Dunedin



The owner of the 10 O'Clock Dairy in St Kilda, Ge Song, with the large water gun he has used to chase would-be robbers from his store. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.


A man arrested after allegedly attempting to rob a St Kilda dairy on Monday night should be counting his blessings the owner did not have time to pull out his water gun from under the counter and dish out some of his own justice.
The 10 O'Clock Dairy owner Ge Song said his store in Prince Albert Rd, Dunedin, had been the scene of five attempted robberies since he bought it four years ago.

But thanks to the large "super-soaker" water gun and a large stick under his counter, he had never had to give money to would-be robbers.

Mr Song said he did not have time to use the water gun on Monday night, but he had done so to several previous attempted robbers, soaking them.

"They no say anything. I just wet them and they run.

"I sad I no get to use my water [gun on Monday night]."

Mr Song said he had been threatened at the store many times in recent years, and when a man entered his store on Monday night with a knife, demanding money, he laughed as he sounded an alarm in the shop and told the man to leave.

The man ran, but had he stayed a moment longer, he would have been soaked to the skin.

Mr Song said he refused to be intimidated by people threatening to rob his store.

Two men were arrested on Monday night for their alleged part in the attempted robbery, after a member of the public saw a man leave the store and climb into a van.

The witness followed the van and contacted Dunedin police.

Last night, police arrested a third man, a 19-year-old cleaner, and charged him with aggravated robbery for his alleged role in the incident.

He also faces charges related to robberies at the Mornington BP service station on June 5 and Green Island Post and Paper two days later.

He is expected to appear in the Dunedin District Court today.

Detective Sergeant Rob Hanna, of the Dunedin CIB, said police were not ruling out the possibility of further arrests.

• A 19-year-old unemployed man and a 21-year-old labourer received a registrar's adjournment yesterday on an indictably-laid charge of attempting to rob a male while armed with an offensive weapon.

They have interim name suppression and were remanded on bail to June 28.

- john.lewis@odt.co.nz

Monday (Queen's Birthday) - 6th of June

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