ollie798

Member
A businessman was crushed to death by his own Land Rover as he tried to protect his property from burglars, a court heard yesterday.
Julian Gardner was left dying in a pool of blood after the gang ran him down and made off with thousands of pounds worth of car parts and tools.
The 52-year-old was attacked after disturbing the thugs as they looted the car repair workshop he ran at Bush Barn Farm, near Robertsbridge, East Sussex.
After being woken just after midnight on October 11, 2010, he picked up a shotgun he kept for shooting club events and set off to 'protect his hard-earned property', jurors heard.
His mangled body was found the next morning by his business partner. His shotgun was never recovered, leading police to believe the burglars callously took it from him as he lay on the floor dying.
Prosecutor Christine Laing QC, opening the Crown's case at Lewes Crown Court, said that Mr Gardner's injuries were so catastrophic that he stood 'no chance of survival'.
She said it was likely the intruders crushed him between a Jeep Cherokee bought days earlier and Mr Gardner's own Land Rover.
She told the court: 'Planned professional burglaries are not committed by people who will give themselves up at the first sign of trouble.
'They ran Julian Gardner down killing him by crushing him between two vehicles or between the vehicle and a nearby water bowser. His injuries were so catastrophic he had no chance of survival.


More...


'One of the number were callous enough to stop and steal the shotgun Julian was carrying – it has never been recovered.'
It is unclear which of the six defendants charged with Mr Gardner's manslaughter, some of whom are related, was at the wheel of the car.

article-2100989-11BCEBED000005DC-639_634x418.jpg
Farm: Julian Gardner died while apparently defending his farm against intruders near Robertsbridge, Sussex




article-2100989-11BC3CCA000005DC-746_306x516.jpg

article-2100989-11BC3CE8000005DC-19_306x516.jpg


Charged: On trial for the manslaughter of Mr Gardner are Christopher Leek, 30, left, and Paul Dunn, 33, right, both of Cranbrook


The thieves made off with expensive car motor parts and tools, along with specialised in mending agricultural equipment. The court heard Mr Gardner had lived at Bush Barn Farm for most of his life, and that his 92-year-old mother Molly also lived on the land with two lodgers.
The jury heard Mr Gardner, who owned several shotguns and was part of a shooting club, visited his mother every day to help her with her crosswords and take her to the supermarket. Miss Laing said that although the burglars had planned their operation carefully, they had not realised Mr Gardner that was sleeping in a nearby building hidden by a copse.
The plan was to steal Land Rovers once they had filled them with expensive items from the workshop.


article-2100989-11BC3B01000005DC-774_306x336.jpg

article-2100989-11BC438A000005DC-356_306x336.jpg


On trial: Brothers Marcus Bristow, left, and Terrence Bristow, right, face charges along with the other four defendants



article-2100989-11BC3CF6000005DC-19_306x516.jpg

article-2100989-11BC3B3E000005DC-499_306x516.jpg


Defendants: Lee Delay, 23, of Tunbridge Wells, left, is charged with manslaughter, while Terrence Dunn, 57, of Sandhurst, Kent, right, is charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice


Miss Laing added: 'On the night of the burglary, which was highly organised by the defendants, a large quantity of items were quickly stolen from the scene.'
The Jeep and the Land Rover were later taken to different locations and burnt out. The tools were hidden in undergrowth nearby.
Miss Laing said much of the case would centre on mobile phone analysis, showing that in the hours after Mr Gardner's death the movements of the defendants were within a limited area around Bush Barn Farm, Sandhurst and Cripps Corner where the vehicles were disposed.
article-1319582-0B94A9CD000005DC-564_634x400.jpg


Probe: Police at Bush Barn Farm investigating the death of Mr Gardner on October 11 2010




article-2100989-11BDCCD6000005DC-231_634x858.jpg



Brothers Terrence Bristow, 41, from Ashford, and Marcus Bristow, 32, from Tunbridge Wells, are charged with manslaughter, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Also facing those charges are Christopher Leek, 30, from Cranbrook, Paul Dunn, 33, from Cranbrook, Oliver Payne, 25, from Tunbridge Wells, and Lee Delay, 23, from Tunbridge Wells.
Paul Dunn's father, Terrence Dunn, 57, of Sandhurst, Kent, is charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
All the men deny the charges. The trial continues.


article-0-11BC2F39000005DC-965_634x450.jpg
Trial: Six people went on trial for manslaughter



Read more: Julian Gardner 'killed by burglars as he tried to stop them ransacking his £3m home' | Mail Online

Good to know they have caught at least some of the offenders. Just hope they get what they deserve and not some silly punishment.
 
Forgive my ignorance, but what is the reason for posting this?
bad **** and all that but we do all have access to the net and can find such things, wouldnt a link have been a better choice along with a little more comment or interaction from yourself
?
 
And as far as I'm aware they haven't actually been found guilty of anything yet. and the only evidence the police seem to have is the Fact that they were in the vicinity of the murder scene at the time of the crime.
 
Well if they are guilty of the crime, then it is good that they are being brought to justice, and also its good because it shows that the police are catching (regardless of whether they are guilty or not) people who are thought to have been stealing land rovers and landy parts.
 
I think there is a bigger issue here other than stealing landy parts, Ollie798 I for once I am almost speechless.
 
Last edited:
Well if they are guilty of the crime, then it is good that they are being brought to justice, and also its good because it shows that the police are catching (regardless of whether they are guilty or not) people who are thought to have been stealing land rovers and landy parts.


I agree with the Justice part. But lets wait for that Justice to take place Before we condemn them with no evidence or information to what they have or haven't done during or prior to this incident..
 
Well I suppose the good thing is. At least you haven't accused em of been Pikies. They look like Half the members on here. Wonder which (If Any) Landrover clubs they belong too.
 
If they are guilty and punished dont bring the guy back that was murdered does it,
I get confused by manslaughter and murder what is the difference.
 
If they are guilty and punished dont bring the guy back that was murdered does it,
I get confused by manslaughter and murder what is the difference.

Murder is an act of violence that a normal person would expect to cause grevious injury or Death


Manslughter is an act or ommission that causes a persons death.

So if you stab someone in the chest and they die that's murder. If you punch them in the head and they have a blood clot and die as a result. that's manslaughter. because you wouldn't expect a single punch to kill someone.

Or if you hit someone with a car during a robbery and they die from their injuries. UNless they can Prove you deliberatly drove over them. that's Manslaughter.

Unless there are witnesses or it's obvious that your actions could only have killed the person. then the CPS will go for Manslaughter as it's easier to get a Conviction. They only have to prove you killed them then, not that you intended to kill them.
 
I think there is a bigger issue here other than stealing landy parts, Ollie798 I for once I am almost speechless.

of course i recognise that achieving justice for Julian's death is the most important part of the trial, but it is still good about the landy parts being investigated as well.
 
Not true..


wimmins wot stab an abusive partner normally are charged with Manslaughter, not murder, if it considered that the act of stabbing was carried out on the spur of the moment as an irrational? act, rather than one that was planned; irrespective if that stabbing was likely to cause death.

ie unintentional killing of one person by another or killing which was not premeditated
 
Last edited:
wimmins wot stab an abusive partner normally are charged with Manslaughter, not murder, if it considered that the act of stabbing was carried out on the spur of the moment as an irrational? act, rather than one that was planned; irrespective if that stabbing was likely to cause death.

Unless the law has been changed recently. The vast majority of women who kill their husbands are tried for murder and sentenced to Life Imprisonment.

Precisely because they have thought about it and premeditated. Their only real defence is deminished responsibilty or self defence.

I know there was talk about changing the law But haven't heard any more??
 

Similar threads