Watch the moment two RAF engineers steal Newbury’s beloved Paddington Bear statue

The nation’s media descended on local law courts this morning (Tuesday), for the sentencing of the ‘Paddington Bear Two’.

Daniel Heath and William Lawrence, both 22, had ripped the beloved statue from its bench mooring in Newbury’s Northbrook Street following a boozy day at the races on March 2.

They then carted their trophy via taxi to their barracks at RAF Odiham, where the pair work as Royal Air Force engineers.

Jamie Renuka, prosecuting at Reading Magistrates’ Court, said the offence had “had a significant community impact throughout Newbury”.

She read from a statement by Patricia Willis, the chief executive of Newbury Business Improvement District (BID), which said the theft of the £15,000 statue had caused “a great deal of upset within the community and local businesses”.

Ms Willis added: “A number of members of staff covered up the scene, aware children would find it upsetting to find the statue had been completely destroyed.”

Ms Renuka said: “All joking aside, Paddington is considered a national treasure – when you think of the Royal family now, you think of Paddington Bear.”

Heath, of Oakhall Park, Thornton, West Yorkshire, and Lawrence, of John Street, Enderby, Leicestershire, both admitted causing criminal damage.

Repairs to the statue had cost £5,451, the court heard.

Tom Brymer, defending both, said neither of his clients had previous convictions.

When police arrived at RAF Odiham, they had surrendered themselves at the guard room and Lawrence had retrieved Paddington from the boot of his car.

Mr Brymer pointed out both had made “full and frank admissions” and had written a remorseful letter to the BID and to the town mayor.

He added: “There’s no excuse or justification – they hold their hands up to their actions on that day.”

Mr Brymer said the incident was totally out of character for both; that they did not get many days off and that both had been drinking.

References suggested they were hard-working and committed to serving in the RAF, which was set to deploy them abroad to Cyprus for three months in May – subject to any sanction a forthcoming internal tribunal might impose.

Mr Brymer acknowledged the amount of press coverage the incident had generated and mentioned the ranks of media photographers waiting outside.

He reminded the court that a Google search of their names in future would link to coverage of the incident and added: “Yes, that’s of their own making and they will have to live with it.

“But that will be on the internet for the rest of their lives.”

District judge Samuel Goozee said, after retiring to consider sentence: “Paddington Bear is of particular significance to Newbury as his creator, Michael Bond, is from that Berkshire town.”

The pair had indulged, he said, “in what can only be described as an act of wanton vandalism”.

Paddington Bear was, added Judge Goozee, “a beloved cultural icon”.

He reminded them that Paddington stood for values such as “kindness, tolerance and integration” and that “the famous label attached to him said ‘Please look after this bear’”.

The actions of Heath and Lawrence had “been the antithesis” of those values, and of those of the RAF in which they served.

Judge Goozee made both subject to a 12-month community order.

In addition, both Heath and Lawrence were required to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work.

Next, they were each ordered to pay £85 costs.

Finally, both were required to pay £2,725 in compensation in lieu of an otherwise statutory victim services surcharge.

After the case had concluded, Ms Willetts, from the Newbury BID, said: “We are satisfied to see a resolution in court today as the costs help to cover the return of our beloved Paddington statue to Newbury.

“This would not have been possible without Thames Valley Police acting swiftly and excellent CCTV coverage of Newbury town centre.

“Newbury BID would like to extend our thanks to TVP and our CCTV providers, Scion Communications, who were both instrumental in allowing the investigation to take place so quickly.”