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Cenotaph yob’s trip to war museum

John Fahey
26/ 5/2005

A TEENAGE yob who defaced a cenotaph is to be taken on a trip to a war museum.

Police appealed for help after the Oak Hill Park war memorial in Accrington was vandalised last month.

The 13-year-old was questioned after his mother became suspicious after reading the story in the Observer and called cops.

The boy admitted splashing blue paint over the memorial and scrawling the words: "JT is fit by CC, Zaf and Julie C and Damo."

Sergeant Bob Eaton, of Accrington Police, said that because Hyndburn Council had cleaned off the paint, charging the boy with causing irreparable damage was impossible.

But he will be made to clean up Oak Hill Park as part of his punishment.

He has also been given an "acceptable behaviour contract", where police monitor his behaviour.

Sergeant Eaton revealed the teenager would be taken to the Lancashire county war museum in Preston by officers.

He said: "We deplore graffiti anywhere but a war memorial is a focal point for civic pride in any town, particularly in Accrington.

"We want the lad to understand why such a fuss is being made over this. We'll whisk him to the regimental museum to show him why we have such memorials and why they should be places of respect for his generation as well as the elderly.

"This is not about rewarding bad behaviour, it's about being pragmatic and making the best of a bad job. It's also about being true to our word and supporting a parent who was brave enough to come forward.

"I would remind youngsters that when we catch up with vandals and have quality evidence, we will arrest them and issue fixed penalties."

Brigadier Geoff Sheldon, of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, said: "If the museum visit results in the boy realising he did a stupid, cruel thing it will have been an inspired idea. If not, some form of community service should be done."


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Most recent 2 of 4 user comments

   An appropriate and sensible response I think. For once someone has looked at the wider issues of respect and responsibility instead of focussing solely on punishing this young person.
Claire, Huntingdon
2/06/2005 at 13:32
   I would go the whole hog and take him to a European War Cemetry.Let him wander round the hundreds of graves for a few hours.Then pointing him in the right direction ,let him make his own way home!
Jeff, Accrington
27/05/2005 at 16:50
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