Vandal climbed Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, wrecked coffee shop, stole from Boots and attacked two trams in month-long crime spree
- Scott Packham, 32, climbed Queen Victoria Memorial on Thursday, August 13
- Wrecked a coffee shop at Aldgate Station in east London less than ten days later
- Appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to six offences
- He was granted unconditional bail and will be sentenced on January 5 next year
A vandal climbed the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, wrecked a coffee shop, stole from boots and attacked two trams during a month-long crime spree, a court has heard.
Scott Packham, 32, climbed the iconic statue next to St James’ Park on the Mall in central London on August 13.
Less than ten days later Packham wrecked a coffee shop at Aldgate Station in east London.
He stole a packet of razor blades and a tub of hair putty from Boots in Waterloo Station on September 8, and hurled abuse at a woman at East Croydon Railway Station on September 30.
Scott Packham, 32, climbed the iconic statue next to St James’ Park on the Mall in central London on August 13. Pictured outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court
Packham, who has an ‘unenviable’ criminal record, caused £1,900 worth of damage when he smashed the windows of a tram at Blackhorse Lane tramlink, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
He also vandalised the perspex glass of another TfL vehicle at Mitcham tram stop in Croydon on August 24.
Less than ten days after climbing the statue (pictured) Packham wrecked a coffee shop at Aldgate Station in east London
Packham appeared in the dock wearing an aviator jacket and a surgical mask, speaking only to confirm his details and admit six charges, including climbing a statue in a royal park.
Malachy Pakenham, prosecuting, said: ‘There’s some peculiar offending here.
‘He isn’t Ronnie Kray, this isn’t big league criminality. It’s bizarre offences like climbing statues, petty vandalism.’
Fadi Daoud, defending, said Packham wanted to change his ways and would cooperate with whatever sentence the court imposed.
Mr Daoud said: ‘He did have some sort of psychotic episode previously which led to the previous offence in your record.
‘He has said he’s alcohol dependent and he’s actually got that as a formal diagnosis.
‘He worries about his own behaviour. He’s turned up today rather pessimistically with his bags packed.
‘If he falls flat on his face over the Christmas period because he has a few drinks, he’ll get potted for everything and realistically won’t be seeing Christmas on the outside.’
Chair of the bench Alan Elias granted Packham unconditional bail and told him: ‘There is some very worrying offending here.
‘You’ve appeared here today on a list of charges, but in your favour you’ve pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
‘Looking at your record it’s a pretty unenviable record. These offences collectively together – the court’s got various options.’
Packham, from Croydon, admitted climbing a statue in a royal park, theft, using threatening words and behaviour and three counts of criminal damage.
He will return for sentence on January 5 next year.