Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford were hosting a segment about the funeral held for Mr Vincent – dubbed the Hither Green burglar – on ITV’s flagship show This Morning – when Iain Gordon stunned viewers by claiming homeowner Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, had ‘done some good’.
Julia Hartley-Brewer and Mark Williams-Thomas were on the sofa discussing the eruption of violence yesterday; mourners threw bottles, stones and eggs at on-lookers.
Police flooded the streets around St Mary’s Church in Orpington, Kent, and a helicopter was called into monitor the event.
Julia Hartley-Brewer started the debate, saying: “[Henry Vincent] brought it on himself, it was a choice of Henry Vincent to burgle that house. It seems to be [the funeral] was about baiting people rather than mourning a loved one.”D
During the discussion, Eamonn introduced Mr Gordon via video link. He was shown tearing down floral tributes to the burglar after the incident on April 4.
Eamonn said: “Let’s go to Iain Gordan – a local resident. You were involved in taking down the flowers from Mr Osborn-Brooks’ house. Did the funeral cortege pass the house?”
Ian responded saying: “No, I didn’t see anything but there was a big police presence. There were supporters here to stop people doing a procession.”
Mr Gordon went into more detail about his feelings toward deceased Vincent, adding: “People are saying he’s just a burglar. He entered the house with a weapon and an accomplice – he didn’t care if there were people in the house or not. They were just old people.
“And, according to the father, old people are just people to be taken advantage of.
“Over 20 years they’ve made millions out of it. This story gets worse and worse the more you hear about it. If Henry Vincent had not been killed then these poor pensioners would have just been another statistic and everybody would have got on with their lives.
“So, he’s actually done some good.”
Ruth asked Mr Gordan: “We saw you ripping down the flowers. That seemed like a brave move. Do you worry about repercussions?”
He replied: “I’m as frightened for my life as anyone else. People who get sent to war, aren’t they frightened of the enemy?
“Sometimes theres a principal you have to stand up for. I came down and I was infuriated to see more flowers – it suddenly hit me, i’m going to take these down.”
Career-criminal Vincent died of his injuries after he broke into the home of Mr Osborn-Brooks, 78, and his wife Maureen, 76, on April 4. Mr Osborn-Brooks was forced into the kitchen by Vincent who was armed with a screwdriver.
Then during a struggle, the crook suffered a stab wound to the chest.
He fled from the house but collapsed in the street and died hours later in hospital.
The pensioner was initially arrested by detectives on suspicion of murder and held for questioning but police released him on bail and then announced he would face no further action.
Yesterday’s funeral reportedly cost £100,000 and hundreds of people attended the event.
One mourner was seen with a catapult as a baying mob launched an attack on watching reporters and cameramen who were pelted with eggs and rocks by hooded youths.
One man with a scarf wrapped around his face told reporters: “You need shooting in the head with a cannonball.”
Speaking about the funeral during the debate, Mark Williams-Thomas said: “They have absolute right to mourn a love one.- he was in the wrong, but he is still a loved one. This is how the travelling community have funerals.
“They let themselves down with their behaviour.”
