Judge accuses RAF pair of ‘wanton vandalism’ for destroying Paddington Bear statue

Part of the damaged Paddington Bear statue was later recovered from the boot of William Lawrence’s car. Photograph: Tom Wren/AP

Great-aunt Lucy asked Britons to “please look after” Paddington Bear when he arrived on UK shores. Perhaps she was thinking of the risks of him running into two RAF engineers out on a bender in Berkshire.

Fortunately, Paddington’s aunt didn’t have to watch the CCTV footage shown to Reading magistrates court on Tuesday of Daniel Heath and William Lawrence tearing apart a newly installed statue of her nephew – before absconding with the severed half.