A 79-year-old man who fatally stabbed an armed burglar in his home has been cleared of any wrongdoing, with a coroner recording a verdict of lawful killing. Richard Osborn-Brooks killed Henry Vincent, 37, during a break-in at his home in Hither Green, south-east London, in April 2018.
Mr Osborn-Brooks told Southwark Coroner's Court that Vincent threatened him with a screwdriver before rushing towards him and impaling himself on the knife he was holding. The pensioner said he believed the intruder intended to harm him, and that Vincent's accomplice had already fled.
Coroner Andrew Harris concluded that the householder acted in self-defence, noting that Vincent had approached with a screwdriver while Mr Osborn-Brooks moved forward with a kitchen knife, resulting in moderate force causing a fatal chest wound. The coroner stated that Mr Osborn-Brooks was terrified and was not obstructing the intruder's exit.
Toxicology reports revealed that Vincent had recently used cocaine and heroin, and may have been under their influence during the raid. His sister, Rosie Vincent, described him as a father and son who was not violent, insisting that no one deserves to die.
