Ozzy and family have had their share of trouble: a quad accident, kids through drug rehab, colon cancer; now a burgalry. And the commentary in the news across America and Britain has been consistent: “Osbournes offer reward”, “Osbournes plead”, “Brit bobbies laud Ozzy for battering burglar”, “Thief sent flying at Osbourne mansion”, “Osbourne fights burglar”, “Fury of Oz”, “Police praise Ozzy for courage”.
Only one news organisation, in typical style, questioned the right of Ozzy to do as he did: the one you are FORCED to pay for, the BBC. Their website ran a bit called “Was Ozzy right to confront burglar?” And another BBC story started, “While police have praised rocker Ozzy Osbourne’s courage in tackling a burglar in his home on Monday, the star has admitted he ‘acted on impulse’ and was thankful no-one had been hurt.”
The comments from members of the public were overwhelmingly in support of Ozzy’s actions (as any rational human being would) – only the minority, left-thinking contributors, seemed to believe it was wrong to tackle an intruder in your home. The law provides that people use “reasonable force” to protect private property, but doesn’t define the term at all. This leaves it up to the judgement of courts on a case-by-case basis. Farmer Tony Martin famously fell on the wrong side of one such court decision several years back for shooting a burglar dead…. even though he feared for his life during a night-time intrusion.
For many sensible, logical people, it seems incredulous that the law could ever favor a burglar. And of course the more left-leaning the nation dispensing ‘justice’, it seems the less property rights are observed. As one comment from a member of the public correctly observed, “This debate wouldn’t even be happening if it had happened in the USA.” While the wisdom of allowing courts to define the law on a case-by-case basis is somewhat questionable in my mind, this is actually one UK law which makes some sense. “Reasonable force” is reasonable law, in this case. To use nuclear weapons to combat a pick-pocket is not reasonable…. so there is a line. But maybe that line needs to be defined in law…. and NOT by the ‘impartial’ BBC.
Meantime, Ozzy’s actions were not only laudable but courageous. He says he was glad nobody was hurt, including the intruder. Actually, I wish he had socked it to him…. maybe taken off a hand with a kitchen knife or something.
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John Wright