The Unusual story of Tony Martin: Farmer, Killer, and Controversial Hero

Tony Martin was not your typical farmer. After years of being burglarized, he decided to take matters into his own hands. In 1999, he shot and killed a teenage burglar at his Norfolk farmhouse, Bleak House. He believed his actions were justified, even though he had no license for the shotgun. Martin had a long history of mental health issues. But his story is much more complex than that. He once worked in Australia, served on cruise ships, and even jumped ship in New Zealand. He inherited Bleak House in 1979, the year he moved back to England from the North Sea oil rigs. Martin had planned to restore the house but never got around to it. His life took a downward spiral. Soon, he was living in squalor and suffering from paranoid personality disorder. Martin became infamous for his harsh and sometimes violent views toward gypsies and criminals. These views were fueled by his belief that Hitler had the right idea in dealing with gypsies. He also had a history of violent incidents involving guns, including shooting a hole in a van of a man he caught stealing apples. After the shooting of Fred Barras, Martin was charged with murder but later convicted of manslaughter. The public was divided. Some saw him as a hero, standing up against crime and the failings of the justice system. Others saw him as a dangerous vigilante. His trial revealed deep issues in Martin's mental health. These problems had never been properly addressed. Martin's mental health issues had been brewing for a long time. The trial revealed that he had suffered from paranoid personality disorder for years. He also had a history of depression. During the trial, the prosecution tried to undermine his credibility by highlighting his eccentric lifestyle. Despite this, Martin's defense team was not allowed to use his mental health issues as a defense. Later, it was revealed that his conviction was reduced to manslaughter. After his release from prison, Martin continued to live a reclusive life. He dabbled in politics. He was later diagnosed with a paranoid personality disorder. But his struggle with mental illness was never fully addressed. His story highlights the broader issues of how society deals with the mentally ill.