'Tony Martin killed my friend when he caught us trespassing - I thought I was going to die'

Brendan Fearon was injured by slayer husbandman Tony Martin, who was "looking down" connected the trespasser and his person from a histrion erstwhile helium changeable them astatine his Norfolk workplace successful 1999

A erstwhile burglar who was changeable by a husbandman portion trespassing connected his spot has told however helium thought helium would dice alongside his 16-year-old friend.

Brendan Fearon, 55, was 1 of 2 would-be thieves who entered Bleak House, a spot successful Emneth Hungate, adjacent Wisbech connected the borderline of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire owned by Brit husbandman Tony Martin and utilized to store antiques, successful an attempted raid connected August 20, 1999. The past 29-year-old entered the location alongside Fred Barras, 16, and were caught by Martin erstwhile they tried to escape.

The farmer, who had equipped himself with a pump-action shotgun, fired shots astatine the pairs backs arsenic they attempted to flee, sidesplitting Barras and wounding Mr Fearon successful some legs. The present reformed erstwhile transgression has spoken retired following Martin's decease earlier this week, telling however helium thought helium would dice astatine the hands of the past 55-year-old farmer.

Brendan, present 54, relived his flight portion speaking with the Mirror, recalling the infinitesimal helium started "rolling crossed the ground" earlier pulling himself up connected his wounded legs and getting help. He said: "I thought I was going to dice but I kept reasoning of my kids and I had to get to safety.

"I was rolling and walking and zig zagging crossed the place, it seems I had gone a mile up the roadworthy erstwhile I came to a house. I was gasping for enactment and banging connected the windows saying ‘water, water’, and an aged mates past helped me. They turned connected a hose tube successful the plot and I enactment it to my rima portion they called the ambulance."

Brendan added that helium "had nary idea" his young person had died from his wounds, saying helium aboriginal recovered retired that Martin had changeable astatine the 2 from atop a tree. He continued: "At the clip I had nary thought mediocre Fred was dead. The husbandman didn’t rise the alarm, helium near maine to my ain fate. I deserved that.

"I aboriginal recovered retired helium had climbed up a ladder and had been astatine the apical of a histrion looking down connected america and wherever helium changeable his weapon astatine us." But, much than 25 years aft the incident, and 20 years since giving up his beingness of transgression - for which helium spent 14 years down bars - helium doesn't blasted Martin for what helium did.

He added: "It indispensable person been scary for him with intruders, he’d been done truthful galore times before, truthful you can’t blasted him." Martin, who died connected February 2, was charged with execution pursuing Barras, but this was aboriginal downgraded to manslaughter and wounding with intent. He served 3 years down bars earlier helium was freed successful 2003.