Ilford teen guilty of spitting on WW1 memorial

A 17 YEAR OLD from Ilford has been given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £75 compensation after being convicted of causing criminal damage after a hearing at Stratford Magistrates’ Court last month.

The teen caused the damage by spitting on a First World War memorial stone which is set into the ground just outside Forest Gate Police Station in Green Street. The act was seen by police officers on CCTV. A DNA sample was taken from the stone, which helped convict the teenager.

The stone records the names of 24 police officers from K Division (Barking & Dagenham, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge and Newham) who lost their lives during the First World War in the forces or on police duty in East London. It was formally unveiled on 4th August 2014 – 100 years after the start of the War.

Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker said, “I hope that this sentence warns other against vandalism of any type. This act was particularly disrespectful against officers who selflessly gave their lives in the Great War.”

District Judge Sims said the teenager’s actions were “not just disrespectful, but despicable”.

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