“There has been a lot of coverage in the media about rural crime of late. Thankfully, I have not been broken in to, but my neighbours have, and I fear it will only be a matter of time. I have a shotgun which I keep under my bed and would intend to use it if needs be. What is the law if I shot someone and injured them?”The issue of whether you may legally use lethal force when defending your property has been the subject of much debate in recent months with the perceived vast rise in rural crime. In 2004, Mayo farmer Padraig Nally was convicted of manslaughter after shooting dead John Ward, a trespasser who allegedly terrorised him in his home over a long period of time. However, his conviction was overturned and there was a public outcry afterwards to introduce legislation to clarify a householder’s rights and duties where he faces an intruder.