War memorial outrage 'was meant as protest'

Peter Barry, a 58-year-old Irishman, said after his arrest he wanted to draw attention to the lack of recognition for Irish soldiers.

He told police: "I looked up and saw that the 50,000 Irishmen who died in the war weren't on it."

Barry's actions were described by magistrates as strikingly similar to those carried out by university student Philip Laing who caused massive anger in October last year.

The 19-year-old was photographed urinating on the same memorial in Barkers Pool, Sheffield, during a Carnage UK pub crawl and admitted outraging public decency.

Sheffield Magistrates heard that Barry was also extremely drunk when he was arrested but when interviewed admitted that his actions had been lewd and offensive.

The court heard Barry, of Morland Road, Sheffield, was out drinking in the city centre last month when he was spotted by a security guard urinating on the memorial at 8pm.

Joanne Milner, prosecuting, said the officer called police and Barry was arrested. In interview Barry told the police he was offended there was no recognition for dead Irish soldiers.

But he added he was remorseful and had the utmost respect for serving soldiers, Miss Milner told the court.

Ian Booth, defending, told the court Barry suffers mild depression brought on by a car accident.

Mr Booth added: "He is an active member of the community and does a variety of voluntary work – he is even singing at a St George's Day celebration event."

Barry, whose brother served in the Irish Guards, spoke only to confirm his name, age and address, and pleaded guilty to outraging public decency.

Sentencing him, district judge Sheila Driver said: "There is no doubt as to how offensive the public find this – especially at a time when there are soldiers being killed abroad."

But she told Barry his case was similar to that of Philip Laing in that "you both have no previous convictions and were both drunk and extremely remorseful".

The district judge added: "This is your first time before court. I do accept you are extremely remorseful, and will deal with you in the community."

He was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid community work and ordered to pay costs of 85.

Old soldiers last night reacted with disgust at Barry's crimes. Bill Hartley, aged 87, who served at El-Alamein and in Normandy, said: "What they should do is give him a brush and get him to clean every memorial around Sheffield.

"They should get him to work and make everyone watch him do it."

The chairman of the Sheffield branch of Normandy veterans, Ken Riley, 85, said: "It's absolutely disgraceful. Our boys are out dying in Afghanistan and for people to be urinating on our memorial is just disgusting."

Philip Laing, who lives in Macclesfield, Cheshire, attracted international attention after he admitted his crimes and was sentenced to 250 hours community service.

He was subject to disciplinary action by senior academics at Hallam University, where had been studying sports technology for a month, but later decided to leave the institution.

Another Carnage pub crawl similar to that during which Laing urinated on the Sheffield city centre memorial is due to take place tomorrow night, when thousands of teenagers are expected to take part.