2004.002 Criminal Justice (Justifiable
Conduct) Bill (drafted by FB)
Criminal Justice (Justifiable
Conduct) Bill
INTRODUCTION
This is a Ten-Minute Rule Bill introduced
into the House of Commons by Roger Gale MP. The text of the Bill,
which was conceived and drafted by Francis Bennion, is set out
below, followed by Notes on Clauses also drafted by Francis Bennion.
The second reading debate took place on Friday 30 April 2004,
when the Bill was talked out.
The Bill arises out of public concern
over the conviction of Tony Martin for killing a teenage burglar
at his remote Norfolk farmhouse on 20 August 1999. In January
2004 Andrew Moffat won a BBC Radio Four Today programme competition
to choose the Bill listeners would most like to see passed by
Parliament. His winning choice was a Bill to protect householders
who find themselves confronting burglars. The BBC consulted Francis
Bennion about the drafting of this ‘People’s Bill’
and he was interviewed by Dominic Arkwright in the Today programme
broadcast on 10 January.
Later Roger Gale MP, who wished to
introduce his own Bill on the subject, also consulted Francis
Bennion, who conceived and drafted Mr Gale’s Bill. In neither
case did Mr Bennion receive any payment. He himself supports what
Mr Gale’s Bill seeks to do, and would like to see it enacted
as law.
