Weds 18 January - Arming oneself

"Last week saw the death of a young lawyer (going on his name, Tom ap Rhys Pryce, one of 'ours') over in London, with the father of that young man stating that in the absence of adequate policing, which I believe he claims, was part way responsible for the death of his son, we should all take up arms to aid in our self defence.

"I am out on a limb on that, I, in carrying on my business would normally carry a vast range of 'dangerous' weapons as a matter of course. I mean of course, hammers, chisels, screwdrivers and so on.

"Whether I would be willing or indeed justified in putting any one of these 'weapons' to effective use, should I be attacked, is a matter of conjecture and consideration.

"As I sit here typing my comments, in the relative safety of my office, it is hard to envisage the possibilty of my using a tool to defend me, as the fear factor is missing.

"However, whilst on the street, with a hammer, screwdriver or chisel in my hand, or close by, and someone attempts to take that which is mine, I am at loggerheads with myself as to which way I should behave.

"If some one comes at me with a knife or other weapon, I can well see justification in responding in like manner, to defend myself.

"I must say though that I am privileged in the situation, in that I am legally allowed to carry such 'weapons' as a matter of normality, they being my tools of trade.

"Whether the average citizen would be so justified in carrying such, is a matter that can only be judged in the light of any subsequent action by police, and so on, sent to investigate an incident, during which weapons were used and responded to in kind.

"I can personally see no reason why any person cannot defend himself, and be prepared, by carrying a weapon purely for that reason.

"I know it may well lead to a situation of 'taking the law into one's own hand' but to be honest, it's a bit late to start moaning about the lawlessness involved when one is lying in the street with the life's blood running down the gutter, and all because one had no responsive means to put off the attempted robber or whatever.

"No matter what the law says, telling the attacker to go away and leave one alone just does not work - no matter how you cut it, the law is failing us all. None more so than those to whom the blade or gun has already done the dirty.

"One simply cannot expect to have a policeman walking beside every person, just in case one is attacked. But one can carry the means for self defence.

"I go along with the father of that poor boy, so brutally disposed of, by a gaggle of cuthroats last week. People should be allowed to carry some means of self defence, as patently, the police cannot offer the degree of protection required by each and every one of us at any and all hours of the day.

"But as I said before, I am already legally allowed to carry 'weapons', in the form of my tools of trade. So I am coming from a privileged position in a way.

"Maybe the laws governing self defence should be looked at, with a serious view to making it possible to defend oneself with any and all means at one's disposal, rather than the silly situation as at present, where, in defending onself, one causes injury, or even death, of the attacker one is then enmeshed in the machinations of the law in trying to defend oneself all over again from the predations of the legal system."

Note - Morgan's views are not necessarily shared by the BBC