A man stands trial after fatally shooting an intruder who broke into his home in Hemsworth, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, last September. Adrian Frost, 61, has pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming he acted in self-defense when he shot 26-year-old Connor Batty during the break-in on September 11, 2025.

According to prosecuting counsel Tom Storey KC at Leeds Crown Court, Frost used a sawn-off 12-bore shotgun to shoot Batty in the chest after Batty and two accomplices forced entry into Frost’s residence. The court heard that the group was armed with a pistol, a baseball bat, and a pair of shears and intended to steal cannabis from the house, where several rooms had been converted into grow rooms cultivating the controlled substance. Following the shooting, Frost reportedly messaged another person, stating that Batty was “dead as a post,” and took photographs of the scene.

During cross-examination, the prosecutor questioned Frost about a remark he made to the wounded Batty, asking whether he found it “amusing” to offer Batty an aspirin as he lay dying. Frost responded that he was in shock at the time and did not find the comment amusing, nor could he explain why he said it.

Police investigations uncovered a cache of weapons at Frost’s home, including air rifles, machetes, baseball bats, CS gas, and hundreds of shotgun cartridges. Frost has previously admitted to offenses related to possession of a prohibited firearm and the production of Class B drugs stemming from the cannabis cultivation at the property.

In court, Frost asserted that individuals should have the right to defend their homes from intruders. The trial remains ongoing as the court examines whether Frost’s actions amounted to lawful self-defense or criminal homicide.