(Britain) Farmer robbed - and police confiscate his shotgun

[Drizzt]

Farmer robbed - and police confiscate his shotgun

Jan 19 2006
By Alex Adams

TWYFORD strawberry farmer Eric Jarnet is fuming after police confiscated his shotgun on his 70th birthday because they feared he might emulate Norfolk farmer Tony Martin.

Mr Martin became a national figure after the shotgun killing of a burglar at his farmhouse.

An exasperated Mr Jarnet publicly admitted he might "do a Martin" after raiders stole hundreds of yards of irrigation piping from his 25-acre Twyford Fruit Farm in London Road, effectively putting him out of business.

Moments after he made his remarks police arrived to seize his shotgun, for which he has a licence.

Mr Jarnet said: "The thieves have all the rights in the world. Even if I had a dog here and he bit an intruder he would have to be put down.

"And years ago we had the gypsies on my land, and all the layabouts on their motorbikes and quad bikes, who cost us a fortune.

"And they keep breaking into the farm shop run by my tenants, so why put up with it?

"I have had enough especially as it happened on my 70th birthday. I will go to America and then I can have my gun and a licence."

Mr Jarnet added: "Residents and farmers have no protection and the police have just proved my point about how far will somebody be pushed into doing a Martin up in Norfolk.

"He was pushed too far. Nobody is saying he did the right thing, and I did not make a specific threat to a specific person.

"I was asking if a person could be pushed too far and when a person could be pushed too far.

"I gave up my gun voluntarily because there's no point in antagonising the police.

"The police and the judges are not doing anything to protect us.

"The policeman took the gun and he hid it under his coat. If it was all legal and above board why did he have to hide it under his coat?

"They have overreacted and they have proved they are protecting the villains.

"In other words, they are saying 'you come on Mr Jarnet's land, at least he can't shoot you.'"

Police spokesman Tim Wiseman said: "If anyone is making these public comments then we have a duty to check them out. Firearms, particularly in West Berkshire, are a sensitive issue.

"Concerns were passed to police following comments Mr Jarnet made on a local radio station. Thames Valley Police have a duty to make sure that no risk exists.

"We obviously had to respond to this and a firearms inquiries officer went round, and Mr Jarnet surrendered his gun."

http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/...-police-confiscate-his-shotgun-name_page.html

 

[xd9fan]

Farmer robbed - and police confiscate his shotgun

"Concerns were passed to police following comments Mr Jarnet made on a local radio station. Thames Valley Police have a duty to make sure that no risk exists.

"We obviously had to respond to this and a firearms inquiries officer went round, and Mr Jarnet surrendered his gun."

http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/...-police-confiscate-his-shotgun-name_page.html

wow what an impossible a$$ backwards goal the Thames Valley Police have chosen. Please let me know how the "no risk exists" but removing a means of self protection from the common man, works out.

The anti-risk force. here to serve.

 

[North Texan]

Can't help but....

....feel sorry for the guy. That has to be frustrating as all get out to get robbed by a burglar, then robbed of your protection by the police. Heaven forbid somebody try to help themselves out a little.:banghead:

 

[losangeles]

It's a wild and crazy world.

 

[beerslurpy]

Haha, wait till he discovers that he doesnt need a license in america! Bet you he could get a good chunk for 25 acres in the UK and probably buy a decent plot anywhere over here.

 

[Dr.Who]

:banghead:

 

[LAR-15]

Anybody want to defend the police in this case?

 

[Maxwell]

Anybody want to defend the police in this case?

No... no, not really

The man jumps through all the hoops to get his legal weapon to use in defense of his property, then when he says He'll use it to defend his property the police come and take it away.

No freedom of speach, no freedom of self defense, and no freedom from unwarrented harrassment, no freedom to buy things and own em, no freedom to keep people from taking your stuff cause all your stuff are belong to "The Man" and he really dont care who takes it from you.

Theres a reason the US split off from the British you know.

 

[lucky_fool]

The man jumps through all the hoops to get his legal weapon to use in defense of his property

Yeah, but the current mindset in the UK government is that the shotgun is only for defending his chickens against foxes. Even implying that he'd use it against a "human" means he's practically a murderer.

 

[LAR-15]

Right.

Shooting a fox or pheasant.......no two legged two armed critters bent on harm.

 

[Duach Laidir]

I'll take on the defense of the police...but then I'm a sucker for lost causes

 

[losangeles]

It's a whole other mindset in the UK. I remember a Brit telling me a story about some thief who made his way into someone's home late at night and the homeowner beat the thief with a stick and was apparently injured. Guess who was in trouble with the police? You guessed it, the homeowner. :banghead:

 

[losangeles]

Hey, Mr. Thief, how about I hit you with a smaller, shorter stick. Is that to your satisfaction, Mr. Thief?

Nooo? Oh, I'm so sorry. How 'bout I just don't use a stick and you just go ahead and take my stuff. You're so welcome, Mr. Thief. Nice of you to drop by. Have a good day, Mr. Thief.

 

[RON in PA]

Pathetic!

 

[Lucky]

Pathetic? I wouldn't insult them, or look down on them. It's entirely in keeping with the atmosphere I understand to be prevalent there. I even smell whiffs of it here. I think that he simply had property looted is small punishment, to be honest, would have expected he be fined or jailed for his threatened mistreatment of the disadvantaged.

It's not pathetic, it's not something to look down on, it's the most dangerous enemy you ever imagined, and you had better be taking notes on how it operates, and what it's strengths and weaknesses are.

I know SOCIALISTS from England that state they would not want to live there, in the intrusive society it is now. Even they know the difference between taking people's money and taking their rights (though there's a good case to be made that taking the first leads to the second).

 

[robert garner]

feel sorry for the FARMER??

He just stated he wished to immigrate to the US!
Might I sugest a wee little trip into Mexico?
The lines a lot shorter there!
Grab the clan shake out the blissninnies an' come on over!Imagine his shock were he to land amongst the Yanks or Californios

 

[McCall911]

Sad, sad story....

It's raining outside but reading this makes me want to go out and kiss the muddy American soil by my door!

C'mon over, Mr. Jarnet. We'd welcome you.

 

[El Tejon]

Right then! Why not just throw him in prison because of what he might do.

Preventative detention. Nice to know that the UK po-po have the gift of foresight. Wonder if they float in pools like the movie Minority Report with their funny little hats?

Behold the future that Sarah Brady wishes to bring here.

 

[Mk VII]

if gun owners go around voicing sentiments like this they WILL get it taken away from them, and the courts will uphold it too.

 

[Fred Fuller]

"Thames Valley Police have a duty to make sure that no risk exists."
===============================================

To the local crooks, obviously. It's apparent the Thames Valley Police are sure no threat to criminals.

lpl/nc

 

[Dave P]

Twyford Fruit Farm

I wonder if one would find more fruitcakes on the farm or in Parliment?

 

[joab]

Anybody want to defend the police in this case?

The police responded to a publicized threat of violent retaliation. Had they not responded they could have been accused of dereliction of duty if he had acted on that threat

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

What a shame

 

[Graystar]

Reductio ad absurdum

It's going to spread here if we don't do something to stop it.

 

[boofus]

He is welcome to move down here to Texas any time. And no he won't need no damn license.