Banning orders after vandalism to lion statue in Grimsby
It was spray painted by vandals
A man and a woman have received banning orders for parts of Grimsby after they vandalised the statue of a lion at the entrance to Weelsby Woods.
The pair sprayed painted the stone sculpture as well as targeting the café there plus the Newby centre and in a separate incident damaged the steps to Garth Lane footbridge.
Crude messages and symbols were put onto the statue on January 21st.
The pair were found guilty.
The lion, which has stood at the entrance to the woods since they opened in 1951, has been alone since a car accident destroyed the second lion, which sat opposite it, last year.
Delicate repairs to that lion are still on-going.
The pair were issued with a community order
The orders mean they can't go to either location.
Using Council CCTV cameras stationed in Weelsby Woods, a man and a woman were identified and apprehended.
The pair were issued with a community order for the vandalism earlier this month which included a number of restrictions.
These are:
A letter of apology to the Council Street Cleansing team
A letter to the friends of Weelsby woods group
Not to carry spray paint in the public
Do not attend the bridge
Do not attend Weelsby Woods
This is not acceptable and they've been punished for their actions.
Council members praised the Street Cleansing team and the those who operate the CCTV cameras for their hard work to restore the lion.
Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “The response from our Street Cleansing team was magnificent and they are a real testament to the Council.
“To restore such an important part of our borough’s heritage in such a short space of time is a great achievement and something they should be incredibly grateful for."
“It’s also paramount that I congratulate our CCTV team for how effective they were in helping the police to identify the offenders.”
He added: “I would also like to thank the police for their work to hold these offenders to account.
I hope people see this as a prime example that any type of crime is not acceptable and that they will be punished for their actions.
"I feel stronger measures are necessary when dealing with offenders, we need to send a clear signal that those who vandalise our area will be subject to stronger sentencing."