US 'vigilante teacher' Tim Larkin barred from UK by Theresa May

A controversial American self-defence instructor has been banned from Britain by Home Secretary Theresa May.

Tim Larkin, who is accused of promoting vigilante behaviour with his style of teaching, was last night prevented from boarding a flight to the UK from Las Vegas.

He was handed a letter from the UK Border Agency saying he had been excluded from Britain because his presence was not conducive to the public good.

It is thought there was concern over his plans to hold a series of seminars in areas including riot-hit Tottenham and Birmingham. He has attracted criticism for his approach to self-defence, which teaches victims to attack and injure to fend off assault.

Mr Larkin told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that his exclusion was a "gross overreaction".

"It says there's no right of appeal. I have a lot of support over in the UK, I have people I can go to, there are Members of Parliament I'm sure I can go to, and maybe this can be reconsidered," he said.

"I think it's a gross overreaction, especially with some of the people who are allowed to come in and out of the UK.

"There is nothing outrageous about it, there's nothing that I'm going around to incite violence or to incite vigilantism - that's a characterisation of the people who hear my opinions on self-defence."

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that the individual in question is subject to an exclusion order.

"The Home Secretary will seek to exclude an individual if she considers that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good."

PA