Two sources of the same story
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/14/jail-brothers-burglar-cricket-bat
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235782/Family-man-fought-armed-thugs-took-family-hostage-jailed.html

Now, lets get some good old fashioned hysteria here please.
(Bazongaloid, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:07, 50 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

*SCREAMS*

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:11, Reply)

Political Correctness gone mad...
...oh wait, they were immigrants.

I'm confused.
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:12, Reply)

It's the thin edge of the wedge.
Or bat, in this instance.
( girlinthehole, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:13, Reply)

there are some beautiful comments on the Mail site
"It's the judge in this case who needs a damn good slap upside the head. What a politically correct, tree-hugging, ponce - he must be suffering from some form of advanced dementia. I sincerely hope - yes, I truly do - that at some point in the not too distant future this fool of the judiciary, and his family, are attacked in their own home. I hope he gets beaten half to a pulp and then, I have no doubt, will be screaming for the police to do something. Instead, he'll be jailed and his attacker will be let off!! Judge John Reddihough, and his ilk, are as dangerous as the criminals themselves and it's time the world woke up to the fact."

superb daily-mailing there
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:13, Reply)

Sounds an awful lot like Monty.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:14, Reply)

Not enough swearing

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:19, Reply)

Or musical references....

(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:20, Reply)

Or face punching.

( girlinthehole, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:20, Reply)

Is there ever such a thing as 'enough face punching'?
I'm in the 'no' camp on this issue.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:23, Reply)

Hitting a man who has broken into your home with a cricket bat = fine.
Chasing a man who broke into your house down the street when he's trying to run away, along with up to three relatives and/or friends, and then hitting him with a cricket bat, and a metal pole, and fists and feet, and hospitalising him with severe enough brain injuries that he cannot stand trial - not fine.

Simples.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:16, Reply)

You are just not cut out for being a vigilante are you?

(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:18, Reply)

It's easy enough, you just need to take the South Park approach.
No brutal revenge-motivated violence without shouting "He's coming right for us!" first for the benefit of any witnesses.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:19, Reply)

And get his favourite band to taunt him.

(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:21, Reply)

I like this
(have got to watch that show some day)
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 13:02, Reply)

Calm down, you're getting hysterical.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:19, Reply)

*breathes deeply*
I'm ok.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:20, Reply)

Brain damage = no more robbing.
Simples!
( girlinthehole, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:19, Reply)

As the old adage goes
"Well he won't do that again will he?"

Unless you can get arrested for drooling with intent
(Halfy By light alone, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:21, Reply)

it's not that difficult a concept really
it seems fairly obvious where the line between "get out of my house" and "I'll fucking teach you to come into my house and tie me and my family up you fucking cunt, have some of this. what's the matter, can't take a bit of your own medicine?" is.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:21, Reply)

Difficult
Before I start this, I'll admit: I'm a self-confessed, bleeding-heart, woosy liberal. Please therefore read my next set of comments with that in mind.

The actions of Messrs Hussain are not difficult to understand. They believed that they were acting in self-defence having been burgled and having had their homes invaded: this reminds me of a case some years ago of a Scotsman in Texas who, having gotten drunk, knocked on someones' door in the middle of the night and was shot and killed - and the Texan legal system allowed the man who killed him off without any form of reprimand. But I digress.

However, their actions in of Mr Hussain, the force necessary to break a cricket bat into three pieces must be fairly extreme(any engineers here?) and causing permanent brain damage to anyone - even a burglar - cannot go unpunished.

I fear that Messrs Hussain will serve their sentences under something of a cloud of media attention and be released at the end to attempt to rebuild their lives, destroyed by their actions in seeking to defend themselves.
(Medical_Male Say aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:22, Reply)

The key is...
...was he seeking to defend himself or dish out vigilante justice?
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:26, Reply)

I'm a civil engineer
I don't know how much force it takes to break a cricket bat though. nor do I know the mechanical properties of willow.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:27, Reply)

You're a pretty shit civil engineer then.

(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:33, Reply)

on my way to chartership thanks
only reason I'm on the office on a bloody day off is because I have to meet with someone about it.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:37, Reply)

You know fuck all about cricket bats...

(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:38, Reply)

and that's how it will stay
I fucking hate cricket
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:39, Reply)

You have to meet someone about the breaking point of a cricket bat?
That's pretty coincidental.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:09, Reply)

but if a bat
can withstand the sustained onslaught of a fast-bowler, it must have been swung pretty fucking hard.

I reckon he missed and struck the floor, and it is that which broke the bat.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:33, Reply)

One would think if he'd broken the bat over his head he'd be dead.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:35, Reply)

I'd say so
to break something in 2 places would take a lot more force than breaking it in one
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:36, Reply)

Not necessarily
It all depends on the physical characteristics of the material.

Spaghetti is a good example. Take a piece of raw spaghetti and hold it at each end. Now bend it until it breaks. You'll find that most if the time it breaks in two places, not just one.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:59, Reply)

That's because it breaks in one place first
and then the tension on the longer part causes it to whip upwards with enough force to break it again.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:16, Reply)

If you decide to operate outside the law
then you waive your rights to its protection whilst you are doing so, I say.

If they weren't burgling a house no harm would have come to them.

Fuck 'em, grotty little peasants.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:27, Reply)

^^ this
Fly with the geese, die with the geese.

Or get fucking brained with a bat and a pole, same difference. Surely all burglars/kidnappers would see a vicious beating as part of the job.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:05, Reply)

well clearly they don't
Who commits a crime knowing there's a substantial risk of getting beaten unconscious?
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:14, Reply)

In the US the burgler
could probably sue the people who beat him for millions (it has happened).
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:40, Reply)

I must admit.
A lady was rude to my mum on Sunday, (long story), and I felt like ripping her head off.


And I'm not the violent type.
( girlinthehole, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:29, Reply)

If I found a knife wielding burglar
in my house when my daughter was home, I'm sure reason would take a back seat.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:33, Reply)

What if the burglar....
...was wearing a sequined lycra jumpsuit and had a lightning strike in make-up crossing his dodgy-eyed face?
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:35, Reply)

Or carrying a box of Milk Tray?

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:36, Reply)

surprised
I was expecting the headline:

"Fanatical Muslim's Crazed Attack Nearly Kills Visitors"
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:35, Reply)

The comments made up for the relatively restarained piece

Wait till Jan Moir has her say, she'll probably explain that this is why Asian people shouldn't marry.
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:37, Reply)

If he is that handy with a bat,
He should be playing for England. Perhaps they should name a new stroke after him. In which the batsman deflty misses the ball but manages to get a thick edge on the wicket keeper's head. After an over of this, the fielding team would be down to five men, and then England could win.

I know fuck all about cricket.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:35, Reply)

In ancient Greece

if you were an upstanding and generous member of teh community then this would count in your favour in cases against you, while this would be wromng today, I always thought it odd that peoples previous criminal records aren't always made availible to the jury.
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 11:35, Reply)

In Nigeria...

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:10, Reply)

...your uncle was a very successful burglar, but has now died,
and in order to avoid paying taxes on your substantial inheritance you need my bank account details, in return for which you'll give me 40%?
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:21, Reply)

Heavens, no
*looks for Desmond's quote*
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:49, Reply)

Too bad they didn't have a Honda Accord
instead of a bat. The brothers could have got all three of the intruders and there wouldn't be any issues as it would't have been revenge, just catching them.

(I have no idea how I would react but it does seem like the revenge was a bit over the top. That said, I have had my house and car burgled and it is a pretty bad feeling. If I had caught the robber in action I don't think I would have just politely asked him to stop. Who knows?)
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 12:38, Reply)

That's absolutely shocking.
With a little more effort at the time the whole problem would have just disappeared, if you know what I mean.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 13:23, Reply)

As a rabid violent mentalist
I'd feel much as these guys did if some DNA wastes were threatening my family. However, braining the scumbag whilst said scumbag is in your house and committing the crime = OK (if you have a good lawyer) but braining the scumbag whilst said scumbag is outside your house and running away = crime.
I wish it weren't so but it is.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 13:25, Reply)