It’s one thing to be lectured by a judge, but it’s another to be told you’re the “antithesis” of Paddington Bear.
That’s what Daniel Heath and William Lawrence of the U.K.’s Royal Air Force heard while being sentenced for the crime of vandalizing a statue of the beloved marmalade enthusiast, The Associated Press reports.
The statue had been built in Newbury, England, to celebrate the release of the 2024 film Paddington in Peru. Heath and Lawrence came upon it during a night of drinking and decided it would be a good idea to kick the statue until half of it broke off. They then ran away with the broken-off piece, which was eventually found in Lawrence’s car.
In addressing the vandals, the case’s judge declared, “Paddington Bear is a beloved cultural icon with children and adults alike.”
“He represents kindness, tolerance and promotes integration and acceptance in our society,” the judge continued. “Your actions were the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for.”
The two were sentenced to community service and a fine, neither of which sounds as bad as being called “the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for.”