Memorial vandal is given jail sentence
MAN, 40, BREACHED CITY CENTRE BAN ONE DAY AFTER ORDER
AN ALCOHOLIC who kicked a poppy wreath off a war memorial has now been jailed for breaching a city centre ban – just one day after it came into force.
Simon Colley, 40, avoided an immediate prison term last Thursday after he was hauled into court for the ‘distasteful’ show of aggression at the Cenotaph in Manchester city centre.
He was handed a suspended sentence and given a criminal behaviour order, which stopped him from entering the city centre for two years.
But on Friday – just one day after walking away from court – Colley was arrested following a drunken outburst in Piccadilly Gardens.
Witnesses said Colley, from Salford, was boozed up and ‘screaming and shouting abuse.’ Officers arrived and he was taken away in a police van just before 5pm.
After spending the weekend in custody, he appeared in court on Monday.
District judge Mark Hadfield sentenced Colley to 24 weeks in prison during a short hearing at Manchester magistrates’ court.
After the case, Insp Phil Spurgeon, from GMP’s city centre team, said: “We are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour in the city centre.
“We were able to secure a criminal behaviour order with the help of businesses and partners, and we are glad to see the courts supporting us with the sentence at the first breach.”
Colley, of Greengate, Salford, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after he admitted breaching the criminal behaviour order, and another 12 weeks for breaching the suspended sentence.
Colley was in court on Thursday, March 9, following an incident at the war memorial in St Peter’s Square on Thursday, February 23.
He had been seen ‘staggering’ around the cenotaph by members of the public just before 3pm.
CCTV footage showed Colley casually walking up to the memorial before taking a run-up and kicking one wreath away.
He tried to get away but seconds later, after being alerted by members of the public, two police officers arrived and arrested him.
During Thursday’s hearing, Colley’s defence lawyer, Matthew Wallace, said: “It seems when he is drunk he behaves in a way that is unacceptable, particularly in the city centre.”