The right to fight backThis could be a huge vote winner for

[Gob]

Homeowners and shopkeepers are to be given the right to protect themselves against burglars and robbers.

They will now be allowed to use reasonable force if they perceive a threat to their property. Previously they could act only when they feared for their lives.

The surprise proposal is a response to public outrage over cases such as that of Tony Martin, the Norfolk farmer who shot a burglar dead, and Munir Hussain, who chased and beat a man who had held his family at knifepoint.

The proposal comes after criticism over cases like those of Tony Martin, left, and Munir Hussain

It is one of a series of reforms unveiled by David Cameron in a sharp turn to the right on law and order. As well as more life sentences there will be tougher punishments for knife crime.

Liberal Democrats were quick to condemn the package, especially the pledge for mandatory life sentences for those committing very serious offences twice.

The Prime Minister finally scrapped controversial proposals to halve jail terms for offenders who enter early guilty pleas.

Other measures include:

A six-month mandatory sentence for adults who use a knife to threaten or intimidate;
Prisoners made to work while inside, with earnings used to compensate victims;
Tougher community sentences, with longer curfews, travel bans,confiscation of assets and £2,500 fines for non-compliance;
Plans for a criminal offence of squatting.

Mr Cameron and Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke attempted to deny they were making a U-turn, insisting previous Coalition policies had merely been 'proposals'.

But in reality, yesterday's package marked not only a rowing back on sentence discounts following a public outcry, but a complete shift of tone and a bid to restore the Tories' reputation on law and order.

The Prime Minister's intervention was a crushing blow for both Mr Clarke and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who chaired a Cabinet committee that signed off the reforms.

The father of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor welcomed the about-turn, but called for the Justice Secretary to be sacked.

Richard Taylor said: 'Ken Clarke does not know what is going on in the streets, he does not know what criminality is about.'

The 'weak thing to do', he claimed, was to keep 'ploughing on' even when it became clear there was a better way of doing things.

'Being strong is about being prepared to admit you didn't get everything right the first time, you are going to improve it and make it better,' Mr Cameron said.

'My mission is to make sure that families can feel safe in their homes and they can walk the streets freely and without fear. The public need to know that dangerous criminals will be locked up for a very long time.

'We want prisons to be places of punishment with a purpose, instead of prisoners setting in their cells. We will require them to work hard and reform themselves.'

The self-defence clause is likely be added to the sentencing bill over the next few months.

The error was made in a calculation and an updated impact assessment will be published alongside the justice bill.

Guidance to police, prosecutors and the courts will be revised to give clarity about when it is sensible to prosecute.

They have previously had to decide what constitutes excessive force by using legal precedent.

Amending the law in the way Mr Cameron suggests would make it clear that using force to defend property, as well as the person, is reasonable. Exactly what constitutes 'reasonable force' remains to be clarified.

With 23,000 violent crimes against householders every year, campaigners say the case for a change to legislation is growing ever stronger.

The tough sentencing rules would mean predatory violent and sexual attackers who carry out a second serious offence will face a mandatory life term.

The 'two strikes and you're out' policy, first proposed by Michael Howard in 1997, will mean the most dangerous criminals automatically receiving a life term after a second offence.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1PxuaYps4

[oldr_n_wsr]

Some scumbag walked into a pharmacy, not 1 mile from my home, on Fathers Day, shot and killed the pharmacist (40 something years old), his assistant (17yo), and two customers (one 30something about to be married next week and one 70 somthing), took a bunch of pills (opiates) and fled. Couldn't just take the pills and not kill 4 people. Don't know if thye had a chance to defend themselves.

Luckily they just caught him today. We had helicopters and police cars all over the place the last 3 days.

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