Abuse as a child had caused Tony Martin to develop a paranoid personality disorder – evidence of which was to save him yesterday from a life prison term.The defence painted a bleak picture of the state of Martin’s mind but crucially failed to convince the Appeal Court that it was ground for self defence. Instead, the court ruled, the vivid portrait of Martin that had been sketched supported the claim that he committed the killing while suffering from a paranoid personality disorder – on the ground of diminished responsibility.The farmer, who slept surrounded by teddy bears, considered his dilapidated, junk-ridden house a safe haven from a hostile world.His defence QC, Michael Wolkind, said the legacy of childhood abuse was depression and a paranoid personality disorder that impaired his judgement and willpower on the night of the burglary. “In particular, the paranoid disorder meant he is more likely to have felt his life was in danger than the average person,” he said.The defence team called on the evidence of psychiatrists. Dr Philip Joseph, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, said Martin had “a lifelong fear of being molested that left him unable to form intimate relationships”.Jackie Craissati, head of forensic and clinical psychiatric services at Oxleas NHS Trust in south London, said Martin perceived the world as “persecutory and hostile”.Rejecting the psychiatric evidence as a ground for self defence, the Court of Appeal judges said: “The position as to the fresh evidence relating to diminished responsibility is different Here the evidence is admissible and relevant. The jury did not have the opportunity to consider this issue .. The conviction for murder must therefore be quashed.”. For Tony Martin’s supporters, yesterday’s decision was a case of too little, too late. For Tony Martin’s supporters, yesterday’s decision was a case of too little, too late.Malcolm Starr, a friend of the farmer and the organiser of the Free Tony Martin Campaign, said: “I think he should be let out I don’t think it should ever have gone to court.

I know I am biased, but I think the majority of people in this country would not be far behind me.”He complained that Brendan Fearon – who was injured by Martin on the same night that the farmer shot and killed Fred Barras, and who was later jailed for conspiracy to burgle – had already been freed.”How can that be right?” he said. “Here is a career criminal who took a 16-year-old boy out with him and got him killed Then Fearon says that Tony Martin should show remorse. It’s ludicrous.”Others were quick to voice anger against the police. David Barnard, who lives near Martin’s home in Emneth and is a member of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council, called for the resignation of Norfolk’s Chief Constable, Ken Williams.”Tony Martin should not be in jail. The reason he is in this position is because the police are so inadequate,” Mr Barnard said. “We have a Chief Constable who is not doing his job properly.

This is a man who said Tony Martin should have screamed loudly when he was confronted by the burglars.”Others, however, said they believed the Court of Appeal’s decision to accept Martin’s plea of diminished responsibility was fair and sensible. The former Tory cabinet minister Gillian Shephard, MP for South West Norfolk, said: “I’ve never known a case that has aroused such national, indeed, international reaction. I cannot recall one that has produced a more unanimous feeling – Tony Martin should not have been convicted of murder.”Tony Bone, organiser of the Norfolk Farmwatch scheme, accepted that Martin’s case had been difficult. He said: “I have sympathy with a man who has been imprisoned in these circumstances and I certainly do not like people who go around burgling houses But a young boy died.