Fatal Hither Green Burglary: Timeline of events

The coroner ruled that Henry Vincent, who was stabbed by an elderly homeowner, was lawfully killed.

News Shopper has put together a brief timeline of some key events of the botched burglary and death.
 

April 4 - 2018

READ: Hither Green burglary death: Pensioner arrested for murder after stabbing

Word reached the newsroom early in the morning about a crime scene in place at South Park Crescent in Hither Green.

A police spokesman told News Shopper a 78-year-old resident, later named as Richard Osborn-Brooks, was arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was fatally stabbed during a reported burglary.

He said: "The 78-year-old resident had found two males inside his address. A struggle ensued between one of the males and the homeowner.

"The man, aged 38, sustained a stab wound to the upper body."

A second burglary suspect was said to have fled the scene and police were searching for his whereabouts.
 

April 5

News broke the next day that Richard Osborn-Brooks had been bailed until May.

Hours later the man who died was named as 37-year-old Henry Vincent.

April 6

A farmer who was jailed for shooting a burglar dead and injuring another then backed calls to drop proceedings against Hither Green pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks.

READ: Tony Martin who shot two burglars defends Hither Green pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks

Tony Martin, who was initially convicted of murder for killing 16-year-old burglar Fred Barras and injuring accomplice Brendon Fearon in 1999, said Mr Osborn-Brooks should not be charged.

"I would have done the same thing if I was in Richard's situation," he said.

Shortly afterwards police confirmed that Osborn-Brooks would face no further action after the botched burglary.

Scotland Yard's dropped the investigation after a consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.

READ: Henry Vincent burglar death: Hither Green pensioner to face no action
 

April 10

A huge wave of support continued to flood in for Osborn-Brooks and over £8,000 was raised to help his legal costs before the case was dropped.

Trouble then ensued when loved ones of Henry Vincent arrived outside Osborn-Brook's home to leave tributes, which were soon torn down.

His family insisted that Vincent was "no monster".

READ: Family of burglar killed by pensioner say he is no 'monster'
 

April 21

The man suspected of being Henry Vincent’s accomplice was arrested.

Billy Jeeves, then 28, was arrested on suspicion of burglary before being released on bail days later.
 

May 3

Tensions boiled over at the funeral of criminal Henry Vincent after mourners started throwing eggs at reporters and passers-by.

The funeral was held at St Marys Church in St Pauls Cray on May 3.

October 12

Billy Jeeves was released without charge and faced no further action in relation to the incident.
 

May 3 – 2019

An inquest into Henry Vincent’s murder ruled that he was lawfully killed by Osborn-Brooks.

Giving his conclusion of lawful killing, coroner Andrew Harris said: "The householder stabbed Mr Vincent in his own home on April 4 2018 just after midnight after he and another intruder had threatened him in an attempted burglary.

"The interaction that led to the stabbing was the simultaneous approach of the deceased with a small screwdriver and the forward movement of the householder with a kitchen knife, leading to moderate force being applied by the knife to Mr Vincent's chest, and its penetration.

"The householder was terrified and asserted he acted in self defence, after an assault by the other intruder.

"He was close to, but not obstructing, the exit by the intruder."