Farmer who shot burglar 'to leave jail next week'

Tony Martin, the farmer who shot dead a teenage burglar who had broken into his ramshackle house, could be released as early as next week.

Martin became a cause célèbre of Middle England three years ago when he killed Fred Barras, 16, and wounded 30-year-old Brendan Fearon, sparking a ferocious debate on rural crime and householders' rights to defend their property.

The bachelor, then aged 55, was jailed for life in April 2000 for murder after Norwich Crown Court was told that he had acted as "jury, judge and executioner" when he fired his illegal pump action shotgun at the intruders, catching them like "rats in a barrel".

His sentence, however, was reduced to five years for manslaughter by the Court of Appeal last year, and yesterday one of his supporters revealed that probation officers had already begun making arrangements for Martin's release.

Malcolm Starr, who has campaigned on his behalf, said the farmer had filled out an application for parole within the past few weeks.

"Tony had a letter from a probation officer from Norfolk Probation Service, which said that they would like to come and see him regarding what will happen when he comes out of prison. The probation service clearly stated his application [for parole] had been received and want to speak to him about how they can help him," said Mr Starr, adding that the meeting was expected to be "quite soon".

Martin, currently at Highpoint low security prison in Suffolk, becomes eligible for parole on Thursday.

Prison sources said the Parole Board might already have decided whether it would approve Martin's release.

They added that they could see no reason why he should remain jailed until next summer, when he will be eligible for automatic parole because he has been well behaved.

Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, said: "These devel-opments would normally indicate that plans are well advanced for a prisoner's release on parole."

Martin opened fire in August 1999 after being disturbed in the middle of the night at his squalid, booby-trapped home, Bleak House, in Emneth Hungate near Downham Market, Norfolk.

He killed Barras and wounded Fearon, who staggered across a field and collapsed. The jury took 10 hours to reject Martin's claim of self-defence and find him guilty of killing Barras and wounding Fearon with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Mr Starr said the farmer was considering going abroad for a short while after his release. "He would like to have a holiday away from the pressure. I think his favourite place at the moment would be America. Whether they would allow him in or not I do not know. He has had a lot of support from there."

The film actor Charlton Heston had sent Martin a signed copy of his book The Courage To Be Free, Mr Starr added.

Norfolk Police has previously said there are concerns for Martin's safety, because his trial was told of deaths threats against him.