TWO drunk RAF engineers who stole a Paddington Bear statue are the “antithesis of everything” the kids’ character stands for, a judge told them yesterday.
Daniel Heath and William Lawrence, both 22, ripped the statue in two as they swiped it in a boozy late night prank.
Two drunk RAF engineers were slammed by a judge for stealing a Paddington statue from the hometown of the character’s creatorAP
David HartleyWilliam Lawrence, 22, helped rip the statue in two as part of a boozy late night prank[/caption]
Hyde News & PicturesDaniel Heath, 22, above, and Lawrence were ordered to do 150 hours’ community service and pay £2,725 each for damage to the Paddington statue[/caption]
CCTV showed the pair walk up to the marmalade-loving bear and kick him in the face before grabbing his head and trying to yank him off the bench at 2am on March 2.
One of them fell over as they tried to prise it from its base before they ripped it off and were seen walking away, laughing and joking.
The pair carried the statue through Newbury town centre, Berks, and into a taxi, which took them back to base at RAF Odiham, Reading magistrates’ court heard.
But the duo were tracked down and nicked at their camp the next day.
The broken front half of the statue was later found hidden in the boot of Lawrence’s car.
District judge Sam Goozee condemned their actions as “an act of wanton vandalism”.
He said: “Paddington Bear is a beloved cultural icon with children and adults alike.
“He represents kindness, tolerance and promotes integration and acceptance in our society. His famous label attached to his duffle coat says ‘Please look after this bear’.
“Your actions were the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for. Your actions lacked respect and integrity, values you should uphold as members of the Armed Forces.”
Heath, of Thornton, West Yorkshire, and Lawrence of Enderby, Leics, admitted criminal damage and must do 150 hours of community service and pay a £2,725 fine each to go towards the costs of repair.
The statue is one of 23 across the UK and Ireland, installed by film company StudioCanal as part of the Paddington Visits trail.
Newbury is the birthplace of Paddington creator Michael Bond, which added to the cultural significance of the statue for the town.
Insp Alan Hawkett, of the Newbury Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “After a short stay at Newbury police station, we handed the statue back to its owners so it can be restored.”
The RAF said it was aware of the outcome of the court case.
CCTV show Heath and Lawrence ripping the statue from the bench after a boozy night outPA
The statue was ripped from a bench in Newbury, Berks, on Sunday, March 2
PAPaddignton is now safely back in the hands of police, after the statue was found hidden in the boot of Lawrence’s car[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
