In the early hours of this morning, two men broke into a house in London. Unfortunately for the burglars they ran into a 78-year-old man who is reported to have killed one of the burglars in his kitchen.
The man, who has since been named as Richard Osborn-Brooks, is believed to have confronted the burglars, at which point one of them, armed with a screwdriver, forced him into the kitchen, while the other man went upstairs.
The man was later found by paramedics collapsed in the road outside ‘covered in blood’. He was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead at 3:37am.
Detectives investigating the case, believe there was a struggle in the kitchen which resulted in the burglar, aged 38, receiving a stab wound in the upper chest, reports The Mirror.
One witness claims he heard ‘moaning and groaning’ before a man, thought to be the burglar, collapsed to the ground. Another man, thought to be his accomplice, was seen trying to pick up the body and put it into a white van but was unsuccessful and fled the scene alone.
Brooks was later arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm however it has since been changed to murder.
Osborn-Brooks’ neighbour, Nick Myatt, explained that the suspect lives with his disabled wife who he looks after.
Myatt said:
I saw him a few times, he’s a lovely old man and he cares for his wife who I think has dementia or is disabled. He’s a nice man, nice to talk to.
He’s an old man – it’s a shame really. I hope the law sees sense and let’s him off. I don’t think it’s right.
I don’t know his name. I just hope he gets off. One of the police told me it’s definitely him that’s been arrested.
Another man who lives close-by also described Brooks as a ‘nice guy’.
He explained:
I have done some jobs for him. It’s definitely no 23. He’s retired, but a nice guy, keeps himself to himself.
Goes out shopping once a week and that’s about it.
He’s been retired all the time I’ve been here – about 20 years. Nice as pie that’s all I can tell you.
One man who lives nearby said that there had been a spate of burglaries in the area recently.
He explained:
I was burgled in the last couple of months.
I was renovating the house and they broke in and took a laptop. I know this has happened to others recently.
After the fatal stabbing, five forensic officers entered the house to gather evidence.
Now there is a huge cordon around the area, manned by around a dozen police officers.
So far it isn’t know just what will happen to Brooks. Although information is scarce in the early hours of this investigation, most seem to believe that he should be let off.
