A man who ate a takeaway meal off the bonnet of a police car parked directly outside a police station has been fined. Adam Bachir-Belmehdi, 21, was convicted of causing criminal damage after the incident outside London's Bishopsgate Police Station in the early hours of May 3.
Incident Details
CCTV footage showed Bachir-Belmehdi, of McGrath Road, Stratford, approaching the police car and laying across the bonnet and windscreen while his friend took photos of him, City of London Police said. He then proceeded to put his takeaway meal on the car's bonnet and start eating it, before kicking the side of the vehicle and wing mirror twice. After kicking the vehicle, he carried on causing damage by ripping the wing mirror from the car, police said.
Rapid Response
Bachir-Belmehdi was captured on the CCTV, which was fed into the City of London Police control room, and officers were on the scene within seconds from him beginning to carry out the damage. His actions meant that the City of London Police had a marked vehicle off the road for five days.
Court Outcome
At Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, Bachir-Belmehdi was ordered to pay £200 in compensation, a £480 fine, £85 costs to the CPS and a £192 surcharge.
Police Statement
Police Constable Oliver Gage, who attended the incident, said: “Bachir-Belmehdi’s actions were completely unnecessary and it’s incredibly childish behaviour. As a result of his actions, officers were without one of our vehicles for a number of days. We do not tolerate this sort of behaviour in the City of London and we want to make it clear that anyone who behaves in this manner will face justice. The City’s CCTV network remains one of the most advanced policing assets in the country, allowing officers and control room staff to track suspects in real time, direct resources immediately and protect businesses, workers and the public.”
The City of London Police is responsible for policing the City’s business district, the Square Mile, in the historical centre of London.
