Is it illegal for a friend to set up ear-traps to capture/kill intruders into his garden?
In the UK, indeed it is! He is leaving himself wide open to both civil action for damages in tort and criminal charges for any damage he may cause any such intruder. This would include any wounding, GBH or death that may occur – if his intent is actually to kill and any intruder he caught were to die, he would almost undoubtedly be charged with murder. One suggests rather strongly that said friend ceases and desists from such activities if he wishes to maintain his liberty…! And to the person above who said it would depend upon the nature of the threat he encountered, I’m afraid not! The setting of the traps is premeditated and for the sole intention of wounding – it would definitely not be justified as either a common law defence, or under s.3 Criminal Law Act 1967 (even in the case of the latter, he thought the intruder was either about to, or in the process of committing an offence). ADDITIONAL: p.s. He couldn’t even lawfully do this in the privacy of his own bedroom, never mind o
