|
The story of Tony Martin, the
Norfolk farmer who was convicted of the murder of a
teenage burglar who broke into his isolated Norfolk
home, created worldwide interest.
It sparked a national debate
about the rights of householders to defend themselves,
and provoked real anger in the countryside over the
issue of rural policing. After 18 months in jail Martin
had his conviction reduced to manslaughter and his sentence
cut to five years
Here we provide links to the
key stories:
The key events
Freedom
The Appeal verdict
At the Appeal Court
The trial and its immediate aftermath
Other stories 2000-2001
Freedom
Tony Martin was released from custody on July 28, 2003.
A Prison Service spokesman said he was released from
an undisclosed location, adding: “He is now a
free man.”
Martin served two-thirds of a five-year jail term for
shooting dead teenage burglar Fred Barras and wounding
his accomplice Brendan Fearon during a raid at his isolated
farmhouse at Emneth Hungate, near Wisbech in August
1999.
Freed
Martin stays in hiding
Tony Martin was released from custody at 9am this morning,
according to north-west Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham.
Speaking to the media outside the farmer's home at Emneth
Hungate, Mr Bellingham said details of his immediate
plans were still firmly under wraps.
July 28, 2003
 'I
fear for my son's safety'
The mother of Tony Martin told of her fears for his
safety last night as he prepared to taste freedom for
the first time in three years today.
July 28, 2003
The
friend who stayed loyal
One of Tony Martin's closest woman friends spoke of
the ordeal of his arrest, trial and time in prison.
July 28, 2003
Nationals
in bidding war
Behind the scenes a ferocious bidding war has been going
on between national newspapers to snap up the first
exclusive chat with Tony Martin on his release. But
what are the rules governing payment to criminals and
can it ever be justified?
July 28, 2003
Couple's
lives changed forever
When Jackie and Paul Leet answered their door to find
Brendan Fearon lying with a shotgun wound to his leg,
it was a night which would change their lives.
July 28, 2003
The judges'
verdict - and the aftermath
Martin's
bid to clear his name fails
Tony Martin has been refused leave to appeal his manslaughter
conviction to the House of Lords.
January 21,
2002
Martin
plans appeal to Lords
Tony Martin prepares to appeal to the House of Lords
in a bid to have his conviction for manslaughter overturned.
Three top judges, quashed the Norfolk farmer's conviction
and life sentence for murdering 16-year-old burglar
Fred Barras.
October 31,
2001
Villagers
delighted at verdict - but fear reprisals
The people of Emneth Hungate are looking forward to
greeting Tony Martin on his return from jail, but many
fear reprisals for the farmer – and themselves.
October 31,
2001
Progress
in policing 'bandit country'
In the two years since Tony Martin's killing of Fred
Barras efforts have been made to change the face of
rural policing in the Fens.
October 31,
2001
Tony
Martin's conviction reduced
Norfolk farmer Tony Martin’s murder conviction for shooting
dead a 16-year-old burglar was reduced to manslaughter
by the appeal court, and his sentence to five years
instead of life.
October 30,
2001
The
full text of the judgement
- Case No: 00/2560/51
Man
who paid the price for defending his castle
CHRIS BISHOP reports on the dramatic
end to the Norfolk farmer’s fight for freedom
October 30, 2001
A
man crying out for help – but nobody heard
The trial brought issues of rural
crime and policing to the top of the political agenda.
October 30, 2001
Why
vulnerable Martin took refuge at squalid farmhouse
CHRIS BISHOP reports on the bizarre
batchelor lifestyle of a brooding loner
October 30, 2001
Back to top
At the Appeal
court
Martin
- I want to go home
Tony Martin hopes to return
to his overgrown west Norfolk farmhouse if his appeal
succeeds and he is freed from prison. He has told a
psychiatrist giving evidence at the Appeal Court that
he never intends to take the law into his own hands
again.
October
18, 2001
Appeal
Court reserves judgement
The Appeal Court today reserved judgement
in the appeal of Tony Martin. The 56-year-old farmer
has been battling to overturn his convictions for murdering
a 16-year-old burglar and wounding his accomplice.
October
19, 2001
Appeal:
Martin fired from stairs
Tony Martin was coming down the stairs
when he turned his shotgun on two burglars, the Appeal
Court Heard today. Ballistics expert Dr Graham Renshaw,
called by Martin's lawyers, said new evidence of minute
cartridge discharge particles had been found on the
staircase of Martin's remote farmhouse.
EDP October 16, 2001
Appeal:
Martin was abused as a child
Tony
Martin was left with a serious personality disorder
after being abused as a child, the appeal court heard
today. He was also let down by his defence team, it
was claimed, because his lawyers were confused about
where he was standing when he shot and killed a 16-year-old
burglar.
EDP October 15, 2001
Martin's
conviction reduced to manslaughter
Norfolk
farmer Tony Martin had his murder conviction for the
shotgun killing of a teenage burglar reduced by the
Court of Appeal to manslaughter. His sentence was reduced
to five years — which means he will be eligible for
parole in a year.
EDP October 30, 2001
Back to top
The trial and
immediate aftermath
I
could hear my heart beating . . .
Two weeks before the Tony
Martin murder trial started, reporter DAVID WINNING'S
telephone rang. It was the Emneth farmer wanting to
give his story to the EDP. That five-hour interview,
plus his courtroom testimony, reveals the full horror
of that tragic night.
Part
One
Part
Two
EDP April 20, 2000
Murder
judge's warning
'This case serves as a dire warning to all burglars'
- Mr Justice Owen
EDP April 20, 2000
Three
key areas in prosecution case
Murder was the only charge which could be brought over
the death of Fred Barras, according to the Crown Prosecution
Service.
EDP April 20, 2000
The
easy steal that ended in tragedy
 Fred
Barras, (right) Brendan Fearon and Darren Bark were
petty crooks with more than 100 court appearances between
them. But did they deserve the violent reception they
found waiting for them at Tony Martin’s farmhouse?
EDP April 20, 2000
How
the burglars broke in
A graphic version of the tragic night.
EDP April 20, 2000
Farmer
begins life sentence for murder
Farmer Tony Martin was last night whisked away from
court amid tight security to start his life sentence.
EDP April 20, 2000
Shotgun
for the world
The Winchester pump action shotgun used in the shootings
at Emneth is illegal to all but a handful of people
in Britain.
EDP April 21, 2000
Lawyer
slams jury verdict as 'perverse'
The verdict was branded “perverse in the extreme” by
the lawyer representing Martin, who said he would swiftly
appeal.
EDP April 20, 2000
Community
at the end of its tether
Just hours before the killing, a local politician warned
people had got so fed up they would start taking the
law into their own hands.
EDP April 20, 2000
 Blame
lies with 'eccentric' not police'
Chief Constable Ken Williams (left)
comments on the case.
EDP April 20, 2000
Police
chief grapples with demands of today's society
A frank, in-depth interview with Chief Constable Ken
Williams.
EDP April 21, 2000
'I
felt safer in Hackney'
Crime in west Norfolk has
become such a problem that locals have dubbed the area
“bandit country”.
EDP April 21, 2000
Policing
will get bigger boost - minister
Charles Clarke, Home Office minister, answers fears
of those who believe crooks are taking over villages
and towns at will.
EDP April 21, 2000
Martin
jury may have been threatened
Claims that the jury which convicted Norfolk farmer
Tony Martin of murdering a teenage burglar had been
“pressured” were last night reported to Crown prosecutors.
EDP April 21, 2000
Back to top
Other stories
2000
Defence
witnesses 'feared reprisals'
April 27, 2000
The
two faces of a country farmhouse
April 27, 2000
Martin
'let down by legislators'
May 17, 2000
Martin
appeal makes history
June 14, 2000
Jury
to be quizzed over 'intimidation'
June 20, 2000
Policing
boost for crime-hit rural areas
July 20, 2000
Martin
will fight on to overturn murder conviction
July 29, 2000
Damages
claim by young burglar's family
August 7, 2000
Jailed
farmer sacks lawyers
August
15, 2000
Martin
names top lawyer for appeal
August 18, 2000
Emneth
Hungate: One year on . . .
August 22, 2000
Tony
Martin - the missing £80,000
November 23, 2000
Back to top
Other stories 2001
Martin
burglary plot man freed
EDP
August 10, 2001
Police
figures show rural crime falling
EDP
May 25, 2001
New
threat to Tony Martin appeal
January 8, 2001
Burglar
to have say on Martin future
April 30, 2001
Top
judge to handle Martin appeal
May 7, 2001
Back to top
|
