Not just any woman, a 50 year old woman with a strong military family background. Not just any teen, a 15 year old teen that was thought to be vandalizing a war memorial.
Article here.
Mrs Lake claimed she was performing a 'moral obligation' following months of anti-social behaviour and vandalism at the memorial.
But weeks later she was arrested and yesterday was convicted of assault, criminal damage and a public order offence at North Avon Magistrates Court in Yate, near Bristol.
She was cleared of punching a 14-year-old in the stomach during the fracas. Sentencing Mrs Lake to a 12-month conditional discharge, District judge David Parsons said she had shown a 'complete lack of self-control'.
She was found guilty of criminal damage for angrily throwing a bicycle belonging to one of the youths into the road, and shouting: 'Now you know what it feels like to have your property damaged'.
The judge rejected her claim the she was trying to perform a citizen's arrest and ordered her to pay £400 towards costs.
....
Before her arrest, Mrs Lake said she had become frustrated by youths vandalising the garden in Mangotsfield, Bristol. She said:
'The memorial is a sacred place - it's like a grave. How dare these youngsters tarnish the memories of those who made a sacrifice for future generations?
'I've called the police and I've tried to talk to these kids but I've got nowhere.
'I lost my temper in frustration after two years of trying to get something done and immediately the police are after me. It's ridiculous.'
Mrs Lake's grandfather James Byrne was an infantryman who was killed, aged 29, in the Western Front trenches of France during the First World War. Her father William Byrne was an RAF pilot in World War II, and Julie's husband Peter, 63, a retired airman, also lost his grandfather in the 1914-18 war.
The trial - estimated to have cost taxpayers more than £100,000 - earlier heard how Mrs Lake was surrounded by up to 25 jeering youths by the memorial at the end of last year. She told how the gang surrounded her, pushed her and shouted:
'You can't touch us, we're 15, we can do what the f*** we like.'
When the 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was questioned in court about the war memorial, he replied:
''It means nothing to me, I guess it's for some people who died in the war.'
Mrs Lake said after the hearing: 'I did this for millions of men and women like my grandfather, for whom a war memorial is the only grave they have.
'I did what I did because I believe it was my moral obligation to stand up for those men and women following years of vandalism at the memorial.
'I would like to say thanks for all the support I've received over the past few months which has meant so much to me.'
I don't think there's a single comment after the article that doesn't give Mrs. Lake three cheers.
My sympathies are totally with her.
Posted by: Pat | July 15, 2008 at 02:28 AM