UK Royal Air Force engineers chastised by judge over theft of Paddington Bear statue

Two engineers with the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) who broke a statue of Paddington Bear while drunk on a night out were criticised by a judge on Tuesday for being the "antithesis" of everything the bear stands for.

Daniel Heath and William Lawrence, both 22, admitted in Reading Magistrates’ Court that they were responsible for the act of vandalism on 2 March in Newbury, the hometown of Paddington creator Michael Bond.

The pair were handed 12-month community service orders and fined £2,725 (€3,263) each for repairs to the damaged statue.

"Paddington Bear is a beloved cultural icon with children and adults alike," district judge Sam Goozee said on sentencing.

"He represents kindness, tolerance and promotes integration and acceptance in our society. ... Your actions were the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for."

CCTV footage played in court showed Heath and Lawrence trying to lift the statue of Paddington off a bench in Newbury. The pair broke the statue in half and took part of it in a taxi back to the RAF Odiham base, where it was later found in Lawrence's car.

Goozee said the crime could "only be described as an act of wanton vandalism" and that the two had failed to uphold the respect and integrity expected in the military.

The judge noted that the label on Paddington's coat says, "Please look after this bear".

The defendants' defence lawyer, Tom Brymer, said they were "extremely ashamed about their actions".

"They are two men who are very different than what we see on the CCTV footage," he told the court.

An RAF spokesperson said the service would consider the court's findings but that any discipline would not be disclosed because it would be a private matter.

The statue of the bear in his signature blue coat and red hat and holding a marmalade sandwich was one of 23 installed last autumn as part of a Paddington trail across England to mark the release of the film Paddington in Peru.

It is currently being repaired and will be reinstalled soon, according to the Newbury Business Improvement District.