Thief Shot By Tony Martin Jailed For Drugs

The Independent ^ | 07 February 2003 | James Burleigh

[sergiod]

A thief shot by the farmer Tony Martin during an attempted burglary was jailed for 18 months on drugs charges yesterday.

Brendon Fearon, 32, whose accomplice, Fred Barras, 16, was shot dead as the pair tried to burgle Martin's Norfolk farmhouse in 1999, was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court of supplying heroin.

The court was told that Fearon's friend, Dean Thompson, was being moved from Newark police station to a security van last September when Fearon tried to pass him a packet of cigarettes. He was stopped by staff, but seconds later shoved a packet containing 0.12 grams of the class-A drug into Thompson's mouth.

Before proceedings began, Andrew Cohen, for the defence, urged the court to dismiss the case because newspaper and television reports made it impossible, he said, for Fearon, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, to have a fair trial.

But his application was turned down by Judge Alison Hampton, who said it would "give a free hand to this defendant and to others like him to indulge in criminal activity, only later to claim that they could not have a fair trial because of their notoriety".

Judge Hampton, who lifted a restriction preventing Fearon's identity being revealed to jurors, said: "The court regards the supply of drugs to those in custody as a very serious matter." In addition to his 18-month sentence she gave him two concurrent sentences of three months after he admitted possessing cannabis.

Fearon is suing Tony Martin, who shot him in the leg during the attempted burglary, for £15,000 compensation. Martin is serving a five-year sentence for the manslaughter of Barras after the Court of Appeal overturned a life sentence for murder imposed at his trial.

[texasbluebell]

Martin is serving a five-year sentence for the manslaughter of Barras after the Court of Appeal overturned a life sentence for murder imposed at his trial.

I had been thinking about this farmer recently, wondering if he had been released yet. Guess not.

It's a sorry state of affairs that this man who was only trying to defend himself and his property is serving time in jail for doing so.

[Andy Ross]

There have been a few articles on the farmer (Tony Martin) over the past week or so.

He was recently denied parole. The parole board's reasoning was that he remained a threat to burglers...

Andrew

[George from New England]

but seconds later shoved a packet containing 0.12 grams of the class-A drug into Thompson's mouth. <P< Why didn't they let him swallow it!!!

[Peter Libra]

I would like to add to the information given on the parole board hearing for Farmer Tony Martin. I am able to quote virtually verbatim. A member of the board,in stating Martin's rejection, said this: He thinks the fifties (1950's) are better than today. He has failed to come into the 21st century.

For those of us who grew up in that country in the fifties, we, if working class,know it was no bed of roses. However the long arm of the law was feared by the likes of Fearon. Wicked evil murderers often had 6-8 weeks to live pending an appeal of the death sentence.

As to the parole board- cruel swine, says I. I did read, hopefully, he can obtain freedom in May of this year- being a model prisoner.

[chainsaw]

The parole board's reasoning was that he remained a threat to burglers...

Yep - So am I.    I'm not only a threst... I guarantee swift punishment on the spot.

[joesnuffy]

Someone should sponser this man to become an American citizen ...a brave soul such as he doesnt deserve to live in the bizzaro world of England under the rule of that perverted monarchy

[cruiserman]

I hope Mr. Martin decides to move to the USA after he is released.

[texasbluebell]

I hope so too!

[gracex7]

Let's pray that he is able to obtain parole in May. Hopefully, someday common sense and decency will return to the legal system that tried and convicted him and he will be totally exonerated.

How is his family faring? Are they now forced to take public dole?

[Peter Libra]

A bit late, just got in from a nice evening in The Land of the Free- Michigan. I may be wrong but I think Tony Martin lived alone. The chilling thing is that he was burgled 14 times by louts. Sometimes the local bobbies came over a couple of hours later after his call. Even more chilling is that the appeal for Martin had to be based on "Paranoid delusions".

This means that the state appeared sympathetic to a reduced charge of manslaughter and five years instead of a life sentence. Apparently being alone and threatened by louts who are burglars, does not give one an excuse to be overwrought. Still, with luck he should be out this year.

A Mr Starr (a friend) is quoted as saying, Martin has a lot of support from America. He would like to go there to get away from the English press. If he cannot go there, he may go to Spain. Thank you for your support.