Teenagers who vandalised war memorial sentenced

The war memorial was daubed days before Remembrance Sunday

Three teenagers who spray-painted a war memorial with 'Free Palestine' graffiti have been sentenced.

Adeem Ahmed and Amaan Tariq, both 18, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were handed community orders for vandalising Rochdale Cenotaph.

They targeted the monument on 7 November, and police had to place a guard there ahead of Remembrance Day.

District Judge Joanne Hirst told the teenagers the "desecration" of the cenotaph was a "very serious offence".

Ahmed and Tariq, both of Rochdale, and the 17-year-old, had pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

They were due to face trial after denying the graffiti was racially aggravated, but the trial was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service "on evidential grounds".

'Respect'

The three offenders were given six-month referral orders, a community-based sentence which is overseen by a youth offender panel.

They were also told to pay £140 in compensation, £85 court costs and a £26 victim surcharge at Manchester Magistrates Court.

When fixing the trial date, Judge Hirst told the teenagers "war memorials are generally expected to be treated with respect".

"You might be interested to know that more than five-and-a-half million Muslims died in the Second World War fighting for freedom."

Tariq and the 17-year-old also pleaded guilty to the theft of spray cans and paint brushes from B&M Bargains in Rochdale.