A shopkeeper in the British town of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, fought back against a career criminal who was in the process of trying to carjack the man. Despite being stabbed himself in several places, the shopkeeper, Tony Singh, managed to wrestle the knife away from Liam Kilroe, a wanted fugitive with warrants out for his arrest. Singh stabbed Kilroe, killing him.
The police then promptly arrested Singh and charges of murder are being considered.
Kilroe had been given bail last year despite pleas he remain in custody after his trial for the two earlier robberies collapsed.
Lancashire Police issued a warrant for his arrest last week because he failed to appear in court.
But days later, on Sunday night, he was still on the run and targeted Mr Singh's late-night corner shop in Skelmersdale, Lancashire.
Kilroe suddenly appeared at the shopkeeper's car window and smashed it with the butt of his knife before putting his arms in the car and demanding the takings.
Mr Singh refused to give up without a fight and they tussled for several minutes before Kilroe was stabbed in the chest.
Officers later found the shopkeeper in his car with stab wounds to his back and neck and the robber's dead body on the floor nearby.
They immediately detained Mr Singh on suspicion of murder and questioned him for hours after he had been given hospital treatment.
His knife was later recovered at the scene, but it is still not clear whether the shopkeeper told police he had stabbed the robber in self-defence or if it was an accident.
Mr Singh was eventually freed on bail after several eye-witnesses backed up his story that Kilroe had been trying to rob the shop and was stabbed with his own knife.
But Lancashire Police are now sending a file to the CPS for lawyers to consider whether murder, manslaughter or assault charges should be brought against him.
The Daily Mail reports that people who know Singh are outraged that the police are even considering charges against him. Let's hope they talk some sense into the authorities. But it is sickening that the police even arrested him in the first place.
I’ve read that in the UK it is not your job to defend yourself. That job belongs to the police and you are to do nothing until police arrive and they are to handle it. I guess if you are beaten or killed in the meantime that is just your tough luck.
You have a civic responsibility to be assaulted in a location convenient to the police.
Makes me awfully glad, not only that I live in the USA, but that I also live in a state, Florida, that recently passed a law specifically stating that a citzen has a right to use any reasonable force up to and including deadly force to defend one’s person, one’s property or the person or property of another without any requirement to retreat or "wait for Police to arrive". What a bunch of idiots!
I think even John Stuart Mill is turning over in his grave.
My cynical observation:
Every time a career criminal commits a crime and the police are called that is a "positive" transaction for the police, It validates their existence.
Every time a private citizen prevents a crime, that is a "negative" transaction for the police, they were not needed. So how do you turn a negative into a positive? You arrest the private citizen, thus creating a "positive" transaction validating the police existence.
OK, it sounds bad. Heck, it <i><b>is</b></i> bad.
But note he was NOT arrested, he was questioned. Just what else should be done? Would it better to not try to find out what happened?
And yes, Crown Prosecution was notified. So? Hey, if you are ticketed forj ay-walking here, a report goes to the DA. Does not mean further action will be taken by tat office (assuming you pay the fine). Heck, if <i>police</i> arrest someone who as fled onto your property, your name will be in the report to the DA.
I’ll await follow-up. If any attempt to charge him with anything is made, <i>then</i> I’ll call the police and prosecutors all sorts of ad things.
teqjack, note that the story specifically states that he had to make bail to be released. That is not detained for questioning, that is arrest.