Elderly pensioner arrested after 'fatally stabbing intruder who broke into his London home'

Seventy-eight-year-old man suffered bruising to arms and was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and suspicion of murder

Police have arrested a pensioner on suspicion of murder after he fatally wounded an intruder during a suspected burglary at his home.

Two men entered the property in Further Green Road in Hither Green, south-east London, early on Wednesday morning.

One suspect, armed with a screwdriver, forced the 78-year-old into his kitchen after he discovered them, while his accomplice went upstairs, Scotland Yard said.

A struggle ensued, during which “one of the males found inside the property sustained a stab wound to the upper body”, according to the police.

Officers were called to reports of a burglary in progress around 12.45am and the London Ambulance Service took the wounded man to a central London hospital, where he died at 3.37am.

The police were unable to confirm whether the suspect had been stabbed with the screwdriver.

The pensioner, named locally as Richard Osborn-Brooks, suffered bruising to his arms and was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and further arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.

He remains in custody at a south London police station.

The dead suspect's next of kin have been informed and a formal identification is due to take place. A postmortem examination will be carried out in due course.

The Homicide and Major Crime Command is investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting CAD214/4Apr. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111