It has been done where someone defended their home from burglars and got prosecuted and then the buglars sued them and treid to get damages. The law has been changed now however so that you can beat seven shades out of them if they are facing you but you can't touch them if they have their back to you. The only true deterrant is an effective Police force and a working criminal justice system. We have neither in Britain at the moment the polititians are too busy lining their own pockets to do anything about it.