Sick joke Martin AND shot burglar freed

Sick joke Martin AND shot burglar freed

By JOHN TROUP and JOHN KAY

FARMER Tony Martin left prison yesterday - and one of the burglars he shot will walk free TODAY.

Mr Martin, 58, was taken to a police station ahead of his official release on Monday.

Brendon Fearon - who is suing Mr Martin over his injuries - is being freed after serving less than a third of an 18-month sentence for injection dealing.

The timing of his release was branded an outrage by friends and supporters of the farmer.

And Mr Martin's solicitor James Saunders said last night: "This is astonishing. Surely they could have picked a better time to release this man.

"The irony of this emphasises just how wrong it was to make Tony serve his entire sentence because he is honest enough to say he could not rule out defending himself in the future.

"Fearon, on the other hand, has made all sorts of promises, then broken the law time and time again.

"It's awful when decent people are treated worse than career criminals."

Fearon, 33, was shot and wounded by Mr Martin while raiding his home in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk.

He is now suing Mr Martin for loss of earnings, despite never having done an honest day's work in his life. Fearon was jailed for 18 months for injection dealing on February 6, but is being let out already from Ranby Prison, Notts.

He will be fitted with an electronic tag and must stay indoors from 7pm to 7am each day.

Senior prison sources confirmed his release. One said: "It is a total coincidence that he is being released at the same time as Tony Martin.

"The Prison Service has no control over dates - and we'd hardly want to stage-manage a joint release like this."

Mr Martin will be officially released on Monday after being given a controversial five-year sentence for the mandissolution of burglar Fred Barras, 16.

Friends of Barras are understood to have put a price on the farmer's head.

But he has told pals he is determined to return home despite by the threats.

Police spent yesterday frantically fitting CCTV cameras, security lights and a burglar alarm to Mr Martin's house.

Officers using large sticks also checked undergrowth around his farm for booby traps and explosive devices.

Mr Martin's MP Henry Bellingham confirmed he had left jail yesterday. Home Office sources said he would have been taken to a police station cell.

SUPPORTERS are selling £5 badges bearing a gun logo and the words "Tony Martin Security Services" to help him fight the legal action by Fearon.

Sun readers have donated more than £92,000 to Mr Martin's defence fund.

-- Never blame a legislative body for not doing something. When they do nothing, they don't hurt anybody. When they do something is when they become dangerous. - Will Rogers