Atomic Systems

A Home Counties police force is advising householders not to cover their garden shed windows with wire mesh, because if a burglar tried to break into the shed the burglar might be injured and the householder would be liable for compensation.
Now I am in a bit of a quandary.
You see we have 6 glass windows at ground level around the house. If a burglar tries to break in through one of these he or she could very well cut themselves quite seriously and I might be liable for huge sums. It will be very difficult to get planning permission and to provide steel grilles over each window, and very expensive, but if I board them up we will have to have lights on all day and the electricity bills will shoot up.
I don’t think I can afford this on my pension!

Tony.. .

Good afternoon Tony
I sympathise with you I really do
The compensation culture is totally out of hand in my opinion
I don't know what else to say to you or even suggest
One thought springs to mind put a sign up saying your home is protected by smart water
That may act as a deterrent?
Kind regards Stephen

Do you have a link for that advice Tony ? There was a similar story doing the rounds in Bristol some time back and when the police were actually asked in a public meeting they denied saying anything of the sort. They maintained that unless you booby-trapped the shed or whatever you would be fine and no claims company would contemplate taking on such a case for fear of the bad publicity.

A check with my free legal helpline at the time suggested that it was totally false. They maintained only time a burglar could claim would be if you did something really lethal like wiring mains to the window frames etc. In that case the CPS would probably prosecute in any case. Having broken glass cemented to tops of walls or razor wire was likely to be challenged by council planners in the helpline's opinion.

Daily Telegraph, Saturday 12 February 2011 Not usually given to printing over the top stories.

The advice is attributed to a "crime reduction officer for Tandridge" - an imposing title but only a PC.
But a "police source" added "Homemade device can cause injury and there have been cases where criminals have sued for injures they have suffered whilst committing a criminal act. We are advising people to do whatever they can to protect their property, but wire mesh ids not one of the suggestions we would make"

You must appreciate that my tongue was firmly in my cheek when I posted that!

Tony

So if I burgle a factory & hurt myself because they have that glass with the wire in it, I can sue
them for more than I would get for the stuff I would have nicked ?

Seems like a good plan.

The Telegraph eh ?

Same as the Daily Mail but in a more refined way.

Things are really out of control, if a burglar breaks into my house I have to put my cigarette out as its now become his workplace

Er . . . can I claim compensation for frustration at being unable to access UKTS this dinner time?

Alec

PS Reminds me of an article sometime ago when it was reported that an abandoned building had to be kept lit in order to ensure that vandals and/or thieves didn't trip or fall. That was a Health and Safety issue but obviously the poor injured vandal would have been fully entitled to compensation!!!!

if a burglar breaks into my house I have to put my cigarette out as its now become his workplace

So far that is the BEST quote of 2011. Congratulations, that sums up beautifully how far the stupidity of PC has progressed. Well done!

Cheers Bazza