Three students planned to spray red paint over cro

Three students planned to spray red paint over crowds and a statue
to Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris as it was unveiled by the Queen Mother,
a court heard today (Wed).

Armed with plastic washing up bottles filled with paint, they hoped
to disrupt the ceremony to the wartime RAF Bomber Command hero.

Southwark Crown Court heard a crowd had gathered outside St Clement
Dane’s, the RAF church, in the Strand, Central LOndon, in May this
year.

Mr Richard Onslow, prosecuting, said a crowd had gathered to watch
the Queen Mother unveil the nine feet high statue draped in a Union Jack.

HE said each of the defendants was seen carrying a plastic carrier
bag, later found to contain washing-up liquid bottles.

‘Perfectly
harmless and innocent in themselves, except for the fact in each case
it was not washing-up liquid but red paint in the bottles.

‘
Mr Onslow told the jury: ‘The prosecution say the intent of these
three young men was that they or someone else would spray that red
paint over the crowd gathered to watch the unveiling.

‘Causing damage to the clothes of those who were there, and perhaps,
if they were lucky, to the statue itself.

Certainly disrupting the
unveiling ceremony.

‘
Counsel alleged each of the defendants had in his custody or
control a plastic bag containing the bottles.

‘Each had no excuse, and each, say the prosecution, intended to use
the paint or get another to use the paint to damage property,’ added
Mr Onslow.

The court heard that none of the men had any previous criminal
convictions.

Mr Onslow warned the jury: ‘You will try this case on the ewvidence
and not on any view you may have on the legality or morality of
unveiling such a statue.

‘The issue is did these young men have the paint with the intent
alleged.

‘
Nicholas Underwood, 22, of Auldbourne Point, Trowbridge Road,
Homerton, Stuart Matheson, 21, of Fuller House, Gillender Street,
Bow, and Steven Hodson, 21, of Grafton Way, Marylebone, Central
London, all deny a charge of having articles with intent to damage
property on May 31.

The trial continues.

ENDS