Tony Martin, the farmer who became infamous for shooting dead a burglar in 1999, has passed away at the age of 80, his close friend confirmed today.
Martin, who lived at his isolated farmhouse in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, was involved in a high-profile case after he shot and killed 16-year-old Fred Barras and wounded 29-year-old Brendon Fearon during a burglary. Martin fired his shotgun three times, fatally injuring Barras.
Initially convicted of murder, Martin’s sentence was later reduced to manslaughter on appeal, after it was revealed that he had Asperger’s Syndrome, which was not taken into account during his trial. He spent three years in prison before his release.
His close friend, Malcolm Starr, shared the news of his death, saying Martin passed away in hospital after suffering a stroke. “Since the incident, it affected him badly,” Starr said. “He’s at peace at last. He’s in a better place now. He lost his mother and two aunts who he was close to.
Starr fondly remembered Martin as an eccentric character, recalling the time he turned up to Starr’s office on a tractor wearing a red beret. “He just left his farm and thought he’d visit,” Starr said. “A month later, we heard someone was shot near him. I said ‘I hope it’s not Tony’.”
Starr added that Martin struggled to communicate with others, and explained that his Asperger’s diagnosis, which emerged during the appeal, made it harder for him to connect with people. “I don’t think he’s capable of lying,” Starr said. “He stuck to his guns and didn’t apologize.”
Martin, who became a symbol of debate over self-defense and the rights of homeowners, had lived in relative seclusion after the traumatic events. Despite the turmoil and public scrutiny he endured, his friend believes Martin deserved “some good publicity” in the final years of his life.
Tony Martin’s death marks the end of a long chapter of controversy and personal struggle for a man whose actions in 1999 forever altered the conversation about the balance between self-defense and criminal justice. He is survived by his legacy and the memories of those who knew him.
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