Statue vandals plead guilty to officer attack

Monday 15 June 2020

Two men have pleaded guilty to maliciously damaging a statue and attacking a Police Officer in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Harry Rawnsley-Gurd and Adam Bellamy - both 20 - appeared before the Magistrate's Court via video link this morning.

Advocate Darry Robinson indicated the pair's guilty pleas to charges of malicious damage on the statue, and of assaulting a Police Officer in the early hours of Sunday morning (14 June) on Queen Street, with the scuffle partially continuing on Bath Street.

Magistrate Peter Harris, presiding, heard that the attack on the statue was not believed to be politically motivated and that it had been fuelled by drinking. It was captured on CCTV and the officer's body-worn camera footage.

Pictured: The pair appeared via video link at the Magistrate's Court hearing.

The case has now been adjourned for two weeks so that the level of compensation can be assessed.

Rawnsley-Gurd also admitted a charge of resisting arrest.

Bellamy, who was described as having broken free before running away from the officer as he tried to arrest him, pleaded 'not guilty' to a charge of escaping custody.

Advocate Robinson explained that his client would instead be willing to plead guilty to resisting arrest, as the charge that had originally been put to him related to escaping from prison or a prison vehicle.

Pictured: Les Jongleurs, the statue that was targeted.

Legal Adviser Advocate Lauren Hallam appeared for the prosecution.

The pair will reappear before the Magistrate's Court on Monday 29 June.

Until then, they have been granted bail on condition that they stay away from establishments serving alcohol, and that they abide by a curfew ordering that they remain indoors between 22:00 and 06:00.

Pictured: The pair have been banned from entering licensed premises as a bail condition.

Granting bail, the Magistrate warned the pair that any offence committed on bail would likely lead to them being arrested and remanded in custody.

He added: "I don’t know what your motivation was for this incident, but it's caused considerable concern both in terms of the damage to public property and risk to health of the police officer trying to do his duty in difficult circumstances, very difficult circumstances."

Pictured top: A screenshot of a video of the attack captured on camera by a member of the public.