Paddington bear thieves represent ‘antithesis' of everything he stands for

Telegraph

25-03-2025

Two RAF engineers who stole a statue of Paddington Bear represent the 'antithesis' of everything he stands for, a judge has said.
Daniel Heath and William Lawrence were told their actions 'lacked respect and integrity'.
The 22-year-olds, who work at RAF Odiham, Hampshire, stole a newly installed Paddington statue after breaking it in half from a bench on a night out in Newbury, Berkshire on March 2.
After both admitting criminal damage, the pair were reprimanded by a judge for their 'act of wanton vandalism' in the home town of Michael Bond – the bear's creator.
Addressing them at Reading Magistrates' Court, District Judge Sam Goozee 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, two values you should uphold as members of the armed forces.'
Shameful behaviour
Jamie Renuka, prosecuting, said Heath and Lawrence were drunk when the incident took place.
The court was shown CCTV footage of them stopping by the Paddington Bear statue and attempting to lift it off the bench.
The statue's seam broke off on the second attempt and the pair could be seen walking off with the broken half.
Police enquiries with a taxi company revealed the bear had been taken to their RAF base.
In mitigation, Tom Bryner, said the defendants had been 'stupid' after a day of drinking and felt 'extremely ashamed about their decisions' when shown the footage.
He claimed that Paddington was not necessarily a national treasure, continuing: 'I accept there are a lot of people who know who Paddington Bear is, but there are a number of people who would not say it is a national treasure.
'It is a literary character, I am not too sure it has that level of status.'
The pink gazebo which had been erected in Newbury to cover the destroyed statue, he said, had been described in some press reports as a 'mock forensic tent'.
Judge Goozee, sentencing, said: 'The statue is one of 23 located across the UK and Ireland as part of the Paddington Visits Trail.
'Of particular significance to Newbury is that the bear's creator Michael Bond came from the Berkshire town.
'In what can only be described as an act of wanton vandalism, the CCTV shows the two of you forcibly remove the front facade of the Paddington statue and carry him through the town to a taxi which took you and the statue back to your base at RAF Odiham.
'You were both under the influence of alcohol. Paddington Bear was then located in William Lawrence's vehicle.'
Heath, from Thornton, West Yorkshire, and Lawrence, of Enderby, Leicestershire, were both handed 12-month community orders in which they must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
They must pay £2,275 each in compensation for repairs to the statue as well as £85 in costs.
Jars of marmalade, sandwiches and poems were left at the scene of the abduction.