Limousine attack man jailed for six months (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
Richard John Hudson, who damaged Lord Mayor of York's limousine, jailed for six months
8:59am Wednesday 22nd August 2012 in News
By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter
A HOMELESS man who caused £600- worth of damage to the Lord Mayor of York’s new £60,000 limousine has been jailed for a total of six months.
Richard John Hudson, whose address was given in court as Stamford Bridge, and who is formerly of Haxby , hit the Volvo S80 with a wine bottle, denting the roof and also scratching the vehicle, York Magistrates were told.
The incident happened outside the Mansion House in St Helen’s Square on June 30 as its driver prepared to take the Lord Mayor, Coun Keith Hyman , the Lady Mayoress and other dignitaries to a York Youth Music Festival event at the Barbican.
Leanne Robins-Hicks, mitigating, said Hudson had been frustrated at the time after recently visiting City of York Council in an attempt to find accommodation.
“He felt embattled against everybody,” she said. She said her client’s behaviour in this and other incidents had been out of character, and had taken place on impulse when he was intoxicated.
“He accepts there is no excuse for his actions,” she said.
Hudson also stole jewellery worth £5,500, including Whitby jet and silver necklaces, bangles and rings, in a burglary at W Hammond Jewellers in Shambles, on July 8.
He also assaulted a man at Ladbroke’s offices in King’s Square on June 28, when he also damaged property including a computer and electrical equipment.
He admitted all the offences and was jailed for a total of 26 weeks, including 16 weeks for the assault and ten weeks for the burglary. A six-week sentence for the criminal damage to the limousine will run concurrently to the other ones.
A restraining order was also imposed, barring Hudson from entering Ladbroke’s in King’s Square for the next 12 months.
After the sentence was announced, Hudson started to make for the courtroom’s exit door before being grabbed by security staff, who then handcuffed him.
The limousine was bought by the council earlier this year after the authority’s three main political parties agreed to replace its nine-year-old predecessor, which was deemed to be unreliable and poor in fuel-efficiency.
