Henry Vincent: Flowers left for intruder stabbed to death during burglary restored then torn down again as stand-off continues

Tensions high as flowers laid by family of burglar repeatedly restored and torn down in street where he died

Flowers left for an intruder stabbed during a botched break-in have been torn down again as tensions remain high in the street where he died.

An angry local destroyed a shrine to Henry Vincent on Thursday as a stand-off between the suspected burglar’s family and residents of Hither Green, south-east London, continued for a third day.

Vincent, 37, was killed during a struggle with Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, whose house he had broken into with an accomplice while armed with a screwdriver on Wednesday last week.

Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder but later released without charge.

Vincent’s family have left bouquets, cards and balloons on a fence close to where he died.

They said they should be allowed to grieve and pay tribute, but some neighbours have described the makeshift memorial as “inappropriate” and “in poor taste”.

A hooded man ripped some of the flowers down on Tuesday, prompting Vincent’s family and friends to pin more bouquets to the fence.

But the shrine was pulled down again by local man Iain Gordon early on Wednesday afternoon.

As he angrily ripped down the bouquets and threw them to the floor, he shouted: “These people are scumbags, scumbags, scumbags. We’ve had enough in this country of scumbugs.”

He told journalists: “If you don’t know why I pulled the flowers down then you aren’t a human being.

“Would you go around allowing someone to stab your parents? Would you allow someone to come round with a screwdriver? And then be considered human beings?”

It is the fourth time the flowers have been ripped down since they were first laid on Monday.

Henry Vincent was killed during a break-in (Kent Police)

Vincent’s relatives have pledged to keep restoring the memorial if it is torn down. The family, who have identified themselves as Gypsies, say they are being stigmatised because of their background.

The original shrine included hand-written cards from his children and aunt. One read: “To my daddy, no words can describe the pain and heartache we are going through. These people won’t put us down. We love you dad. We miss you so much.”

The tributes were laid opposite the house of Mr Osborn-Brooks, who has yet to return home since he was freed by police. Neighbours suggested he may never return out of fear of a revenge attack.

One resident, who gave his name only as Peter, said: “Will he ever be able to come back and live here? I doubt it. It’s sad.”

On Thursday afternoon firefighters fitted new smoke alarms in the pensioner’s house, where he lives with his wife who is disabled.

Fire crews declined to comment but there have been fears of reprisals since Vincent’s death. CCTV was installed at the house last week, and it has been boarded up since the break-in and remains behind police tape.

There is growing frustration among locals at the drama that has engulfed a usually quiet area.

One elderly woman, who did not want to be named, said: “This has really gone too far. What happened last week was bad enough, but all this which has gone on since had made it even worse.

“This is usually a very quiet area, we sometimes have problems like anywhere else, but nothing like this.”

A passer-by, who also asked not named, added: “The situation is getting out of hand now. The people leaving tributes have lost a family member but just look at the circumstances.

“This probably isn’t the best place to leave flowers and things. What did they expect would happen?”

A local taxi driver even suggested Hither Green was in danger of becoming a “no-go area.”

He said: “I get both sides of the argument, but this is escalating too fast.

“I’ve been a cabbie for almost 20 years now, and I’ve seen everything. I know when not to go somewhere, and it’s going to kick off properly in Hither Green.

“It’s becoming a no-go area – you couldn’t pay me to go there. I reckon there’s definitely going to be some serious trouble.”