District Judge Sam Goozee reprimanded Daniel Heath and William Lawrence both aged 22 while they worked as Royal Air Force (RAF) engineers for vandalizing and stealing the Paddington Bear statue in Newbury, Berkshire. The act of vandalism took place at early morning hours on March 2nd 2025 when the males were in an intoxicated state. The Reading Magistrates' Court showed CCTV evidence of the men trying to move the statue off the bench which led to its breaking and subsequent taxi transport to RAF Odiham base.
Judge Goozee declared their behavior an unlawful act of random destruction because Paddington Bear exists as a valuable cultural character who gains recognition from people of all ages. He embodies goodwill and embraces multiculturalism and constructive social acceptance in our multicultural community. The judge declared that your actions opposed all fundamental elements which Paddington stands for.
The Paddington Bear statue participated within the "Paddington Visits" trail by displaying 23 statues distributed across both UK and Ireland territory to mark the film premiere of "Paddington in Peru." Newbury stands as a notable place because Michael Bond who created Paddington Bear originated from this town.
The men admitted to criminal damage resulting in court orders totaling 12 months along with tasks requiring 150 unpaid hours. Each man must pay £2,725 towards restoring the statue while the total repair costs amount to £5,451.