Lenient punishment for man who vandalised Co Down war memorials questioned

​TUV candidate Harold McKee labelled the judgment of the district judge in the Robert Hill Hanna VC memorial and Kilkeel War Memorial vandalism case as “unbelievable”.

He said: “There has been widespread dismay in the community following the judgment which saw the man guilty of attacks on the memorial to Robert Hill Hanna VC and Kilkeel War Memorial get off with a mere 40 hours community service and 12 months on probation.

“The memorial to Robert Hill Hanna VC has only recently been erected following much hard work by local people to raise the money necessary.

“This monument and Kilkeel War Memorial are the focal point of remembrance in Kilkeel and the attacks on them caused deep upset and damaged community relations considerably. The sentence in this case does little to deter a repeat of such behaviour and amounts to a simple slap on the wrist.”

TUV leader Jim Allister has raised the matter with the lady chief justice, requesting a review of the case.

He said: “The defendant pleaded guilty to charges of theft, criminal damage, indecent behaviour, attempted criminal damage and disorderly behaviour in respect of two separate attacks on the public memorial to Robert Hill Hanna VC and destroying Remembrance wreaths at Kilkeel War Memorial.

"Unsurprisingly, both the police and the prosecutor concluded and presented these offences as hate crimes.

“In handing down his apparently very lenient sentence of 40 hours community service and 12 months on probation, District Judge King is reported to have decreed he was not going to ‘listen to the mob’ adding he was ‘not entirely convinced’ it was a hate crime because this is a 23-year-old and he doesn’t understand what hate was.

“Given the sensitivity of the objects of attack and the nature of the attacks, aggravated by the fact they were separate incidents, the suggestion that this was not a crime motivated by hate has caused great unease and disbelief among those who hold this place of remembrance in great respect.”

The Lady Chief Justice’s Office said it would provide a response after making some inquiries into the case.