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Shot boy (16) was in court 28 times

By ADVERTISER REPORTER

The three Newark burglars involved in a bungled break-in at a Norfolk farmhouse, which left one of them dead and another seriously hurt, had more than 100 appearances in the dock between them, a court heard this week. 

Fred Barras (16) (pictured left) of Devon Road, who died of shotgun wounds to his back, had been before the courts on 28 different occasions and had served time in young offenders' institutions. He was on police bail at the time he died.

The two others, Brendan Fearon, of Mercia Road, and Darren Bark, of Montgomery Road, had both served lengthy prison terms.

The revelations were made on Tuesday (11/04/00), the second day of the trial of Norfolk farmer Mr Tony Martin (55) (pictured below right), who is accused of Barras' murder.

The murder is alleged to have taken place at Mr Martin's isolated home - Bleak House Farm, Emneth Hungate, on August 19.

Martin denies murdering Barras, the attempted murder of Fearon, wounding Fearon with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing a Winchester pump action shotgun with intent to endanger life.

He admits possessing a shotgun without a licence.

The jury, of six men and six women at Norwich Crown Court, was told that Barras screamed: "He's got me.

"I'm sorry. Please don't...Mum," after being hit by the 12-bore shotgun.

Prosecutor Miss Rosamund Horwood-Smart QC said: "Martin did not warn the intruders nor give them a chance to surrender."

Barras crawled into an orchard, where his body was found the next day.

Fearon, who was 30 on Tuesday (11/04/00), the day he gave evidence, was hit in the legs and groin.

He dragged himself through fields, passing out twice, to a neighbouring cottage where an ambulance was called.

Speaking of a burglary at the farmhouse in May, Miss Horwood-Smart said of Mr Martin: "He was vitriolic about criminals, especially gipsies and talked of putting gipsies in one of his fields, surrounding them with barbed wire and machine gunning them."

The court heard that Mr Martin lived alone with three Rottweiler dogs and had booby-trapped his property against burglars.

The traps included the removal of the top and bottom steps of his stairs. He was known to believe the police "were a waste of time."

Giving evidence, Fearon said he and getaway driver Bark had seen Barras drinking on the day of the break-in and had picked him up because they thought the trip would "keep him out of trouble."

Both Fearon and Bark described themselves to the court as knockers - people who knock on doors buying and selling antiques.

This is a ruse to see if anyone is inside the house.

When Bark went to view possible targets he went as a tree feller.

Detective Constable Trevor Buxton said: "Bark knew about travellers who had been to Bleak House Farm before and he had been there before."

The jury were yesterday touring Bleak House Farm after the trial judge instructed them to see for themselves the room where the murder is alleged to have taken place.

Later, the court heard how Mr Martin told police he froze with fear after finding two burglars in his home and blasted them with a shotgun in fear of his life.

"The nightmare of it all was like being in a horror movie," he said.

The case continues.

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