By Jeremy Sollars
FED UP Stanthorpe police have slammed the behaviour of individuals who vandalised the town’s council Christmas decorations over the weekend.
Senior Sergeant Mark Ireland said that “again this year, a small group of mindless, intoxicated idiots, after leaving a nearby hotel, decided to destroy council Christmas decorations in the Stanthorpe CBD, the property no doubt funded by local taxpayers”.
“The damage was observed by police in the early hours of Sunday morning, the four-metre decorated Christmas tree near the Post Office in Maryland Street being totally destroyed.
“Police perused CCTV footage that revealed two main offenders, a male and a female, climbing and destroying the tree while a group of four or five others, clearly visible and identifiable, were content to look on and not intervene, one of the males present taking pleasure capturing the event on his mobile phone.
“Due to the tenacity and many hours of investigation by Stanthorpe police, one male offender 19 years of age, was charged with wilful damage.
“The female, 24, is expected to be charged by police and it is anticipated that others will also face the court once identified.”
Sen Sgt Ireland said it had since come to the attention of police that the offender published an apology on social media, nominating intoxication as a contributing factor, only after exhaustive efforts by police in locating and charging him.
“By law, voluntary intoxication is no excuse for any offence,” Sen Sgt Ireland said.
“One has to wonder if any such apology would have been forthcoming if this person had not been located and charged.”
