April 05, 2018 - 2:38 AM
LONDON - A 78-year-old British retiree who was arrested on suspicion of stabbing a burglar to death in his home has been released on bail while police investigate.
The man, identified locally as Richard Osborn-Brooks, was detained on suspicion of murder after an altercation at his London home early Wednesday.
Police say the pensioner said he had found two men inside the house, and struggled with one, who was stabbed in the upper body. The suspected burglar was found collapsed in a road nearby and died later in a hospital.
The Metropolitan Police said Thursday that Osborn-Brooks was released on bail until May,
British law permits the use of "reasonable" force in self-defence. In 2016 the High Court ruled that householders can use disproportionate force against intruders if they believe it necessary.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018