Martin damages claim dropped

Tony Martin accepted the offer to drop his damages claim

Farmer Tony Martin has accepted an offer from a burglar he shot and wounded to drop his claim for damages.

Brendan Fearon had been trying to sue Martin for compensation after he was shot by the farmer during a break-in at his Norfolk home in August 1999.

Fearon last week offered to halt his compensation claim if Martin agreed to abandon his counterclaim for compensation for damages suffered when his home was broken into.

On Monday, Martin gave his lawyers formal instructions to accept Fearon's offer, according to one of the farmer's friends.

Action ended

Malcolm Starr, who led the campaign for Martin's release from jail, said: "I always expected that Tony would accept the offer to bring an end to it all once he had the chance to look at it.

"He has now had that chance and this morning he gave his solicitors instructions to accept Fearon's offer and bring an end to the whole ridiculous thing."

Martin, 58, confronted Fearon and his accomplice, 16-year-old Fred Barras, at his home in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, late at night in August 1999.

He shot at the burglars, killing Fred Barras and wounding Fearon in the groin.

The burglars had travelled from their homes in Newark, Nottinghamshire, with a third man, to raid Martin's isolated farm.

But one way or another the public have paid out about £50,000 for this ridiculous case that should never have been allowed to start in the first place Malcolm Starr

The farmer was originally convicted of murder and jailed for life, but the conviction was downgraded to manslaughter on appeal and the farmer jailed for five years. He was released from prison in July.

Fearon, who was jailed for his part in the burglary, was claiming legal aid for his court case against Martin while the farmer's fees were being paid from a fund raised by a national newspaper.

Mr Starr added he expected the total costs of the two actions to reach about £50,000.

"Mr Martin's costs will be over £30,000 which will come out of the money raised by the readers of The Sun," said Mr Starr.

"We think their costs - which will come out of legal aid - are around £20,000.

"But one way or another the public have paid out about £50,000 for this ridiculous case that should never have been allowed to start in the first place."

He added that about £80,000 left in The Sun's fund was expected to be given to a charity of his choice.