THE Government has published guidelines about how much force house owners can use to tackle burglars. Is it something you can define when you are in that situation? Reporter SAMANTHA PAYNE asked shoppers for their views ...

Full-time mum Beverley Richardson, 35, Langley Way, West Wickham, said:

"The Government's guidelines are definitely unrealistic. You wouldn't have time to think about how much force you should apply.

"You just would want to defend yourself especially if you have children. Do what ever to protect yourself.''

Retired civil servant Valerie Goring, 64, of Brantwood Way, Orpington, said:

"It's a natural reaction to defend yourself and property. The guidelines need to be clearer, they should be put in layman's terms so people know where they stand in the law.''

Housewife Karen Ash, 36, of Elmsmere Avenue, Beckenham, said:

"I wouldn't have the guts to use force against a burglar if he entered my property.

"But I don't know how I'd react if I was in that situation. Why should we allow people to enter our homes?''

Retired musician Michael Casey, 69, of Minster Road, Bromley, said:

"An Englishman's home is his castle and you should be able to protect it and use reasonable amount of force without the fear of being sued.

"The owner should have more rights than the burglar.''

Student Luigi Faulkner, 22, of Farmfield Road, Downham, said:

"I'm all for thinking of ways of preventing them coming in a property in the first place.

"I'm against harming people especially when using a gun. You should be charged if you shoot someone. We have no right to take someone's life.''

Retired Salvation Army officer Bill Rivers, 77, Village Way, Beckenham, said:

"What do you do in a situation of panic? How do you measure what is reasonable force? It's a question of protecting yourself and your family.

"It's natural, like a lioness is going to kill to protect her cubs.''

Security officer Tony Ellen, 50, of Leyland Road, Eltham, said:

"There are major problems with what the Government define as reasonable force. The law needs to define it a lot more clearly.

"There's not enough understanding what someone can and can't do.''

Hairdresser Linda Panos, 55, of Earl's Court Road, Sydenham, said:

"If you are standing in your nightie at 4am in the morning, you don't have time to be reasonable.

"How can you be in a bizarre and unrealistic situation like that? You take the nearest thing to reach to protect yourself.''

THE guidelines from the Crown Prosecution Service and Association of Chief Police Officers are as follows:

  • Anyone can use reasonable force to protect themselves or others, or to carry out an arrest or to prevent crime;
  • You are not expected to make fine judgements over the level of force you use in the heat of the moment;
  • If you do what you honestly and instinctively believe is necessary in the heat of the moment, that would be the strongest evidence of you acting lawfully and in self-defence;
  • As a general rule, the more extreme the circumstances and the fear felt, the more force you can lawfully use in self-defence;
  • The law does not require you to wait to be attacked before using defensive force yourself;
  • If you have acted in reasonable self-defence and the intruder dies you will still have acted lawfully. But having knocked someone unconscious, you then decided to further hurt or kill, you would be acting with very excessive and gratuitous force and could be prosecuted.

For more information on the guidelines go to cps.gov.uk