I think, with all due respect, that the British perspective on legal aspects of self defense is of limited value, as the practise of self defense in the UK is prohibited. I am not aware of any circumstances where the need to self defend overrides the "duty to retreat".

But to return to the fascinating topic at hand, given that "hammer blows" are likely to be defended against by arms and hands, what are the typical methods used with flashlight defense? It would seem that the "poking" you would typically do with something like a cane, wouldn't be as effective because of the stubby nature of the flashlight.

I like the idea of throwing, with the lanyard, but don't think I could trust my aim in a self defense scenario (pulse rate, adrenaline etc.).