Police challenged over knife advice

Ms Klass was said to be "aghast" and "bemused" after being warned by officers for waving a knife at youths who entered her garden.

The 31-year-old was in the kitchen with her daughter upstairs when she saw the teenagers peering into her window just after midnight on Friday.

She grabbed a knife and banged the windows before they ran away.

But Ms Klass, who rose to fame in reality pop band Hear'Say, said she was told by Hertfordshire Police officers she should not have used a knife to scare off the youths because carrying an "offensive weapon" – even in her own home – was illegal.

Her spokesman said the star was "utterly terrified" and was now stepping up security at the property near Potters Bar.

The incident has come amid other calls for greater rights for people to defend themselves against intruders on their property.

Last month Munir Hussain was jailed for beating a man who tied up his family in their home.

He and his brother used a cricket bat to beat one of the intruders.

Their case prompted the Conservatives to pledge they would make it harder for people who tackle burglars to be prosecuted.

Victims campaigner Norman Brennan has now called for a greater police presence on the streets to act as a deterrent and said Ms Klass's actions were understandable.

"I can understand the police would have been concerned if she had chased them up the street with a knife in her hand," he said.

"It wasn't the best thing she did, however, it was an instinctive action of a mother with a child at home.

"In hindsight she should have locked the doors and windows and called the police.

"However people don't act reasonably when they are frightened. They act out of instinct.

"Protecting her child was obviously her priority."

According to retired police officer Mr Brennan, giving such advice to Ms Klass was a "bit rich".

He said: "I think the police need to reprioritise their advice.

"Their advice should be 'these youngsters need to stop misbehaving and behaving criminally'."

A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police said no reference was made on the Ms Klass incident report about a weapon.

She said: "It was treated as a trespass incident. Words of advice were given in relation to ensuring suspicious behaviour is reported immediately."

There are now 142,151 police officers, 1,921 more than March 2008 and 16,326 more than 1997, according to the Home Office.

"It is excellent news for the public there are record numbers of officers on the streets, but outcomes are what matter most," a spokesman said.

Ex-offender Mark Leech, who edits the national prisoners' newspaper ConVerse, said: "While I probably understand a little more about why people turn to burglary, the police here seem to have lost the plot.

"We all have a right to protect our homes and families, I would certainly do the same, and if people like me say the police have the balance wrong, then it's understandable why the majority of the public think their actions bonkers too."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The Government strongly supports the right of law abiding people to defend themselves, their families and their property with reasonable force.

"That is why we introduced the self defence provisions of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.

"These made it clear that as long as they use reasonable force to protect themselves or others, people should have confidence that the law will support them. The level of force used should not be excessive or disproportionate in the circumstances as they viewed them."