Student who urinated on war memorial is spared jail

A student who was photographed urinating over a war memorial was today spared prison because of his overwhelming remorse.

Philip Laing, 19, had admitted outraging public decency by soaking a poppy wreath following a drinking session in Sheffield city centre.

He was warned by a judge that he could face jail but today was sentenced to 250 hours of community service.

However, District Judge Anthony Browne attacked Britain's drinking culture and demanded "something does need to be done".

Sentencing, the judge said: "I said to you when you last appeared that the image of you urinating over the wreath of poppies at the city war memorial was a truly shocking one — that was no understatement. There you are, a young man of 19, urinating on the war memorial erected to honour the memory of so many other young men.

"I have no doubt at all that you did so because of the vast quantity of alcohol that you had consumed.

"What you have done has outraged and offended many and has saddened most. I have received many letters from members of the public." But he added: "I have never seen anyone more contrite for what has happened nor one who regrets more the hurt and distress he has caused.

"You have understandably had the wrath and indignation of the public heaped upon you and your family."

The judge said Laing, of Macclesfield, had already been significantly punished and Sheffield Hallam University, where he is a sports technology student, had still to decide on his future.

Laing had begun his evening by sharing a bottle of whisky with a friend before consuming vast amounts of alcohol at a bar crawl, organised by the Carnage organisation, where all drinks were £1. He said he understood Laing had been so drunk he could not remember anything of the evening.

The judge said: "No one forced you to take all this drink, or forced it down you, or persuaded you to commit a criminal offence. You did that all by yourself and you must take responsibility."

Tim Hughes, defending, told Sheffield magistrates' court that Laing's remorse came "from every pore". He was "terrified" at the prospect of prison which would "utterly destroy what could otherwise be a good, hard-working, tax-paying life".