Shopkeepers immediately welcomed the move but civil libertarians warned that it would encourage vigilante action. The legislation, which was unanimously supported, codifies parts of the common law dealing with self defence. It also requires that the prosecution, to secure a conviction, must prove that a shopkeeper charged with assault did not really believe that his or her action was necessary. The architect of the legislation, the Shooters Party MP, Mr John Tingle, said the use of a weapon might be reasonable at times. I guess you would believe in your own mind that it was reasonable to use some kind of weapon against them.
People have to be confident that they can take action.
But the head of the Bar Association's criminal law committee, Mr Tim Game, said the legislation went beyond the common law in assessing the reasonable grounds a person might have for using force. There's room there for a paranoid individual to perceive things worse than they actually are. He is moving his business into a nearby hotel which is protected by security guards. I've been robbed with a knife, with a syringe, circumstances were you can and need to defend yourself.