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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/8469850.stm

This was debated in OT in early December. Here is the end result.

Works for me.

His jail sentence has been replaced with a two-year suspended term.

Sounds about right overall, I am not supporting that he was merciful, but I can't imagine jail being an appropriate sentence given the circumstances.

Actually, could someone clarify exactly what that means? Did they just shorten his sentence, or is this like probation of some sort.

Sounds like probation.

2 years suspended sentence means if he commits any other offence during the two years he will go straight back to prison.

Would someone mind C&P the story? It is blocked at work.

SilverMK2 wrote:Would someone mind C&P the story? It is blocked at work.

Text:

A businessman who was jailed for permanently injuring an intruder who attacked him and his family has been freed by the Court of Appeal.

Munir Hussain 53, was sentenced to 30 months for grievous bodily harm with intent after he hit Walid Salem with a cricket bat on 3 September 2008.

Hussain and his family had been tied up by three intruders at their home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

His jail sentence has been replaced with a two-year suspended term.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, who was sitting with two other judges in London, said he had shown "mercy" to Hussain.

Community figures

His brother, 35-year-old Tokeer Hussain, who was also jailed for causing grievous bodily harm, had his 39-month jail term reduced to two years.

Hussain's son, Awais Hussain, said the family was grateful for all the support it had received.

Tokeer Hussain
Tokeer Hussain has had his jail term reduced

Speaking outside court, he said: "We're extremely grateful to the Court of Appeal and the Lord Chief Justice for releasing my father.

"We're grateful for all the support we have received from the entire nation, and all the attention support from the media.

"Whilst it will be great to have my father home immediately, our thoughts will be with my uncle, Tokeer Hussain, who won't be released as yet... We hope he stays strong."

He added: "I don't think our family will ever get over it."

Hussain and his brother, who were both described as being at the heart of their community, were imprisoned in December after being found guilty at Reading Crown Court.

'Exceptional' case

The court heard Hussain and his wife and children returned from their local mosque to find intruders wearing balaclavas in their home.

They were tied up but the businessman escaped and enlisted his brother to help chase the offenders down the street, bringing one of them to the ground.

The pair left Salem with a permanent brain injury after hitting him with a cricket bat.

The force of the blow was so hard that it broke the bat into three pieces.

Lord Judge said: "This trial had nothing to do with the right of the householder to defend themselves or their families or their homes.

"The burglary was over and the burglars had gone. No one was in any further danger from them."

The decision to free Hussain comes one day after judges rejected his appeal against his conviction.

Lord Judge said the case was one of "true exceptionality".

Fair play to the bloke, if this puts off just one thieving scrote from trying to comit a similar crime then it has been a good thing.

Good show to the guy.

A good result for this family glad the sentences have changed.