Woman too drunk to remember throwing wine over statue
A woman was so drunk, she had little recollection of throwing red wine over a statue of Queen Victoria in Candie Gardens during an incident of what was described as ‘mindless vandalism’.
Zara Tingay, 55, also broke a window at the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery during the same incident, the Magistrate’s Court was told.
Prosecuting officer Luke Meyer told the court how the damage had been caused in April. It was noticed by grounds staff early the following morning.
The statue had a red substance down the front of it and a wine bottle lying below the broken window appeared to have been used to break it.
Scene of crime officers attended and a forensic examination of the bottle linked it to the defendant, who was arrested.
In her first interview she said she could remember nothing of the day in question. Two days later she attended at the Police Station and asked to be interviewed again.
She admitted that she had slung the wine bottle at the window and poured wine over the statue. She had a significant history of offending but the majority were verbal cautions and these offences were her first before the court for more than a decade.
Defending, Advocate Alan Merrien said his client could not clearly remember what happened but she accepted the allegations and regretted her actions, for which she wanted to apologise. She had stopped drinking for 10 years, but had started again at Christmas due to personal problems.
Judge Marc Davies said the date of Tingay’s last conviction in 2013 was relevant.
‘I hope you will appreciate the part that alcohol plays in your life, and when you don’t drink you stay out of trouble,’ he said.
She had previously denied having an issue with alcohol, the court heard, but that had changed.
Some people threw substances at statues and paintings for political motive, said Judge Davies, but Tingay’s actions appeared to just be ‘mindless vandalism’ without reason or thought of the consequences.
A probation order of 12 months was imposed with a condition that she attend the Criminal Justice Substance Service and comply with alcohol testing as required. She must also pay £489.11 compensation for the cost of repairing the window and cleaning material for the statue.
A charge alleging that she had assaulted a police officer at the station in a separate incident, to which she had not entered a plea, was withdrawn.
