From the comments by the police, it seems that the man didn't 'intervene' in the incident, he went over afterwards, to have words or something. If the man originally attacked was now out of harm's way this was the banker's mistake. He had nothing to gain and everything to lose.

James, Cambridge, UK

Surely there is a difference between this tragic incident and gang crime? Weekend violence is a reality in town centres but root causes are not necessarily the same as those in poorer areas. Hysteria and bitterness follow this "Daily Mail" style reporting (see comments!). Misleading to say the least

Caroline, London, UK

If Norwich has been changing for the worse, then that is the bigger story, tragic for the dead banker's family though this recent crime has been. Don't lose sight of the basic question — how is someone 'a homeless Lithuanian' in a faraway city like Norwich? Nations should solve their own problems.

Pete, London,

" Frank McGarahan assumes that the rules that govern his world also apply in the other." I doubt he assumed that. He knew he took a risk. I don't know if I would do the same. I don't have Mr McGarahan's courage or compassion & I am ashamed of it. His family can be very proud of his selfless action.

John, london, UK

these 3 men were probably already known to the police. In the past, the police would have regularly harrassed them to show who was in charge. But now harassment is not allowed, so they think they can get away with anything.

andrew, swindon, uk

V sad story, and that only 1 person tried to help even sadder. I was out with my partner a few xmas ago and we were set upon by a group of drunken youths. People walked by except a driver who stopped leaving his headlights on and confronted the group. They ran off and thats when other people stop

Anne, nottingham,

Yes Paul Groom, the press do apply a hierarchy to victims of crime. I'm sure we all remember "City lawyer Tom Ap Rhys Price". Your demise will only ever make the front pages if you have a high-powered job and/or are photogenic.

Andrew, London,

The communist apologists who run the country have sold us down the river. The British community spirit has been sacrificed on the twin-altars of politicial correctness and multiculturalism. We are the dumping ground for the world's criminals, who have nothing to fear from our toothless courts.

Dave, Manchester,

Post code has nothing to do with it. In Glasgow's celubrious and trendy West End, there has been a number of rapes and violent attacks on women in the last 18 months. Nowhere is safe these days and unfortunately you do now have to "walk on by" if you witness an incident.

susan, glasgow,

This "division of lifestyles" will become less blurred and, sadly, may bring increased violence into the leafy suburbs where small pockets of social housing have been built on the insistence of this government's social-engineering building policies

Also, who's to say the statistics are true?

Elinor, Hants, UK

as usual-blame immigrants, like britain and eurpoe was such a peaceful place before mass immigration -2 world wards, troubles in Ireland, child prostition, places too dangerous to walk through at night, gangs of youths. These all occurred before immigration to the UK, learn this country's history!

mark williams, stoke-on-trent,

I agree with another poster. Norwich used to be, back ten years ago, a fairly safe-ish place. But then everything changed when noticeable numbers of immigrants began to turn up in the city. Everything seemed to start to fracture.

Viv, norwich,

It would be wrong to label an underclass for this sad event. Not many from the underclass hang around the likes of spearmint rhino in Norwich perhaps why the homeless person was singled out. No excuse for the terrible event, but there needs to be care when exercising a tar brush.

Jimd, Norwich, UK

I do not believe people who say crime is not getting worse. I've lived in Norwich city centre 25 years, and the change in the last two years has been very noticeable. Society here started to break when the immigrants came. It's losing it's character fast, and not so nice to live here any more.

Roger B, Norwich,

You can prove anything with statistics and - as this government has demonstrated more than any other - particularly if you make up your statistics out of whole cloth. Violent crime is "down" because the authorities no longer take any notice of 90% of it and do not properly punish what they do see..

Rosemary, Liverpool,

This is a terrible crime and disgraceful that it happened at all.
However I find it fairly disturbing that you consider that had it happened to me I would have been just another statistic as I'm not a leading banker. Do you really have this value system for people?

Paul Groom, London, UK

The chances are in Norwich that the perpetrators did not come from any social underclass but were just a bunch of drunk and relatively well-off lads.

Bazza, Tokyo, Japan

It is time to go back to the old ways of punishment.. The Stocks, Pillory and Hanging.. We also need to change the way we bring up our kids, schools need the ability to punish again, otherwise kids do not learn to behave correctly. We have been to liberal too long, time for a change now.

jim, london, uk

Be careful. The killjoys and social engineers might hear you and decide that the nice leafy suburbs should be blighted with some public housing just so no one escapes the consequences of socially progressive policy!

Paul Neri, Canberra, Australia

Banking and charging interest is illegal under sharia law. Under sharia law he would have had first his right hand, then his left hand cut off. And sharia law is now the official law of the land in the former UK. So perhaps his death is not such a big deal?

Sim Salabim, London, The former UK

Small town America grows good people, as Sarah Palin says. Britain, however, specialises in growing bad ones. It's done by the reward of indolence with taxpayer funded benefits, and the encouragement of breeding among the least capable. Want a bigger flat? Have another kid. Thanks, Labour.

Mike Evans, Bristol, UK

The UK has become a complete and utter disgrace, it's the most dangerous place, globally with the exception of war zones like Iraq. It seems that thugs can "Execute" fellow human beings in UK and get away with a couple of years behind bars, whilst, other trivial crimes slap people for 25 yr

Stuart, Bangkok, Thailand

True - up to a point, but this piece seems based on a false premise. This attack did not take place in a Moss Side, or Toxteth. The real contrast is surely between perceived levels of violence in major cities and the actual violence that can be seen so often in smaller, rural towns and cities.

Michael Walker, W London,

If the disadvantaged could be encouraged not to breed, we wouldn't have an underclass and we wouldn't have as much violence.

Paul Neri, Canberra, Australia