A burglar who was fatally stabbed by a pensioner after he raided his home was 'lawfully killed', an inquest heard.
Criminal Henry Vincent, 37, was stabbed to death with a 12-inch kitchen knife after he broke into 79-year-old Richard Osborn-Brooks' home on April 4 last year.
Reports have said that the intruder was holding a screwdriver when he ran into Osborn-Brooks' knife.
The pensioner warned that this weapon was "bigger than yours and if you don't leave my house you will be sorry", the inquest was told.
Mr Osborn-Brooks told the hearing that he said to Vincent: "Get out of my house you b****** or it will be the worse for you" in an attempt to protect his wife, Maureen.
Balaclava-wearing Vincent had cocaine in his system when he intruded the property in the early hours at South Park Crescent, Hither Green, south-east London.
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When holding the screwdriver, Vincent demanded cash and said "get out of my way or I'll stick you with this."
But when the pensioner grabbed his kitchen knife, Vincent's masked accomplice fled out of the front door, the hearing heard.
Senior coroner Andrew Harris today at Southwark Coroner's Court recorded a verdict of lawful killing.
He said: "In considering the force it would seem that given there is two intruders at night, one with a weapon, the use of moderate force would seem to me to reasonably be proportionate.
"It seems to me the combination of unpredictability and fear were factors that have to be taken into account considering the proportionality of the force that was used."
Vincent's sister told the hearing her brother was "not a violent person".
"He was a father, he was a son, he was a brother. No one deserves to die," Rosie Vincent added.
Mr Vincent's cause of death was confirmed as an incised wound to the chest.
Osborn-Brooks was initially arrested on suspicion of murder but was released without charge.
This arrest led to a public outcry and an online fundraising campaign was set up in support of the pensioner.
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