It's every homeowner's nightmare - that sound in the night, is it an intruder? And if it is, just what are you allowed to do legally to protect yourself?
It's a grey area and many of us have little idea of what we can and can't do if we do confront an intruder.
What if we do defend ourselves and it ends with fatal consequences? Are we justified in killing to defend ourselves if necessary?
The Crown Prosecution Service is very clear on this vexed question, and the short answer is that you...
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What can you legally do if an intruder breaks into your home?
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Is it illegal to pick flowers? Here's what you need to know
Many of us like to give flowers to our loved ones, either in celebration, in surprise or to say sorry.
Most of us don't expect flowers to result in a blazing row, least of all with the police.
But that's what happened this week, when a police officer in Nottinghamshire challenged a man whose two daughters had picked 27 daffodils from the roadside.
Was the officer justified in her actions? Is it illegally to pick flowers in this manner? Here's what you need to know.
What exactly...
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Attacker stamped on man's head, assaulted paramedic helping...
In an unprovoked and "vicious" attack, a man stamped on another man's head before turning on a paramedic who was helping an unconscious woman.At around 3am on March 31, an ambulance was called to an unconscious woman on Oxford Street, Weston-Super-Mare, just opposite the Dental Centre.While paramedics were treating the woman, a member of the public stopped to thank them for their help, and was attacked by another man who knocked him to the floor and is believed to have kicked him and...
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In the courts: The biggest cases from the courts this week
Another week and another parade of the depraved and the desperate have been paraded through the courts across Somerset.
Here's our round-up of the biggest cases heard by judges, juries and magistrates across the county.
The case that grabbed national headlines – and rightfully so – and Marine A, the first British serviceman convicted of murder on a foreign battlefield since the Second World War, was back in court to see his murder conviction reduced to manslaughter.
Sergeant...
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Revealed: The most crime-ridden places in Somerset so far this...
An analysis of crime statistics has revealed the most and least dangerous places to live in Somerset this year. Figures recorded by Avon and Somerset police - available on www.police.uk – detail all the crimes that were reported in the county in January. That's the latest figures available.We have broken down the crimes to the biggest towns, villages and cities in the county.One of the county's biggest towns, Yeovil, hit the top spot with the most crimes recorded, with 276 reported to...
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Most wanted: Can you help police to track down these people?
Do you recognise any of these people?
Police want to talk to them about a number of offences across the area – is there anyone here you've spotted out and about? If so, police across the region really want to hear from you.
Can you help the police to track down this man?They want to talk to him about the theft of a high-value Canyon Nerve AM mountain bike from a rack outside HSBC bank in North Street, Taunton. The bike, worth around £1,800, was stolen at about 3pm on Monday 13...
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Glastonbury man Jamie Paul Teck to stand trial after alleged...
A Somerset man who allegedly assaulted a pharmacist during a private consultation after he turned up drunk to collect his methadone prescription has been ordered to stand trial next month.
Jamie Paul Teck was said to have become abusive to staff at the Knights Pharmacy, and after being told he could not have his methadone because he was intoxicated, he requested a private consultation.
During the meeting, he allegedly barged the complainant into the wall with his shoulder, struck him with...
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Glastonbury woman Ann Daemani ordered to attend court over...
A Somerset woman has been ordered to attend court to face an allegation of a dwelling house burglary or face being arrested by the police.
Ann Daemani, 51, of Hillhead Close, Glastonbury, was charged that on December 22 last year at Glastonbury, she entered as a trespasser an address in Rowley Road and stole £400 cash and an SLR camera.
The defendant was due to appear before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil, this week to enter her pleas but failed to attend.
The magistrates...
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Somerset teenager told to 'grow up' by court following joy ride...
A Somerset teenager who joined a group of mates for a joyride in a stolen car was told by magistrates that it was about time he grew up.
Connor Peter Marlow claimed he had not known at the outset that the vehicle had been stolen when a friend arrived at his address asking him to get in.
However he admitted that as the journey progressed he did become aware that the driver had taken the car.
When he appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, they sentenced him to a 12-month community...
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Frome man accused of violently harassing partner has case against...
A Frome man facing an allegation of violent harassment against his partner after he accused her of cheating on him has had the case against him thrown out.
Levi Dean Wheatley allegedly bombarded his partner with messages, shouted through her letterbox and then chased her down the street in her car, throwing things at her vehicle as she drove away.
Wheatley, 32, of Vinney Lane, Blatchbridge, Frome, previously pleaded not guilty to a charge that, between March 9 and 10 at Frome, he caused his...
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Dorset woman stole hundreds of pounds' worth of alcohol from...
A woman who was caught on CCTV stealing several hundred pounds worth of booze from a Crewkerne supermarket confessed to police she needed the money for drugs.
Lesley Ann Moir was seen stashing bottles of alcohol into a bag before leaving the Waitrose store without paying for any of them.
After security staff watched CCTV footage of the incident they identified her and she was arrested, Somerset Magistrates were told.
Moir, 33, of Longfleet Road, Poole, pleaded guilty to stealing alcohol...
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Bridgwater man confessed to police he had been drinking before...
A Somerset man who lost control of his car on a Langport roundabout, colliding with two road signs, was more than double the drink drive limit when he was breathalysed by police.
When officers were called to the scene of the crash in the early hours of the morning, they were approached by Benjamin Thorner who smelt of alcohol and confessed he had been drinking.
After failing a breath test at the roadside he appeared in court before Somerset Magistrates who were told that his judgement had...
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Crewkerne man denies stealing tool, kettles and bottle of port...
A Somerset man has appeared in court accused of a string of offences including burgling a Chard hotel.
Konrad Autur Hincer was arrested by police and brought before Somerset Magistrates in custody also charged with failing to comply with a breath test and a matter of theft.
The 32-year-old defendant, of Gouldsbrook View, Crewkerne, denied an allegation that between April 16 and April 24 last year at Chard, he entered as a trespasser The Bellplot House Hotel in High Street, and stole a chop...
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Somerset resident 'shocked' by 'selfish' fly-tipping near...
A Somerset resident has expressed shock and disgust at a large amount of fly-tipping near Glastonbury Tor.
The resident, who asked not to be named, posted photos on Facebook of "unwanted rubbish" which she claims was dumped by "three very selfish people".
The fly-tipping occurred in the middle of Stone Down Lane, just a short distance from the iconic Glastonbury Tor which greets visitors to the town.
Among the items dumped were white goods, children's toys, plastic...
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Elderly motorcyclist killed near Blandford, man arrested as woman...
An elderly motorcyclist was killed at the scene and his elderly female passenger is fighting for life in hospital after a crash between a car and a motorbike on Sunday.A 24-year-old man has been arrested and Dorset Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after the crash near Blandford, on the C13 Higher Shaftesbury Road near Compton Abbas Airfield.A police spokesman said a black Kawazaki motorcycle crashed with a green Ford Escort on Sunday April 2, at 3.40pm.A 74-year-old man from Blandford...
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Shepton Mallet teenagers describe rescuing screaming man from...
A Shepton Mallet teenager almost found himself grounded for getting home late after he and a friend helped rescue a vulnerable elderly man the police were searching for.
Toby Stratford and Alfie Peacock, both 16 and pupils at Whitstone School, had heard a police helicopter searching the Shepton area when they spotted a silhouette on a bridge and heard screams.
"Every time someone went over the bridge we heard someone shouting 'help me' and then we saw this silhouette", Toby...
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Man charged over two burglaries in Wedmore by Avon and Somerset...
Police have charged a 28 year-old man from Somerset with two burglaries and going equipped.A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Constabulary said: "We have charged a 28 year-old man from Somerset with two counts of dwelling burglary and one offence of going equipped following an incident in Wedmore."
The man charged is Richard Webb, of no fixed address, who will appear in court in Taunton on Tuesday, May 2.
NOW WATCH: Marine A Alexander Blackman speaks of relief after murder conviction...
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What is ransomware and how do you avoid getting it on your...
A scam designed to con people out of money while damaging their computer is on the increase, Dorset Police has warned.
Officers have reported that a Sherborne resident was targeted by a 'ransomware' virus - a piece of software which locks a computer and displays a message stating that the owner has been viewing "illegal material".
The message displayed by the virus usually looks like an official warning from a local police force, and informs people to pay a fine in order to unblock...
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Taunton cow abuser admits animal cruelty at Pyrland Farm after...
A Taunton man appeared before magistrates today to admit charges of animal cruelty after undercover animal activists released sickening footage of cows being abused at a farm.
Owen Nichol, 19, of Buckland Road, Taunton (seen in the video above leaving court today) appeared in court today to admit two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals at Pyrland Farm near Taunton.
Dressed casually, Nichol watched
footage filmed covertly at the farm by animal rights groups which showed him...
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Police appeal after scaffolding stolen from grounds of Gillingham...
Police are appealing for information after a large quantity of scaffolding was stolen from outside a church in Gillingham.
A scaffold tower - consisting of many large section pieces and poles - was taken from the grounds of St Mary the Virgin's Church on High Street sometime between midnight on March 22 and 8am the following day.
The tower had been dismantled and was lying by a hedge in the graveyard, ready to be collected by the hire company in the morning.
PCSO Nicky Fear, from the North...
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