University worker fined for throwing eggs at Margaret Thatcher statue in Grantham

A university worker has been fined for throwing eggs at a statue of Margaret Thatcher less than two hours after it was erected in her hometown.

The incident happened shortly after the memorial to the former Prime Minister was lowered into place in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on 15 May.

Police were called when a man was filmed throwing an egg which landed near the hem of Baroness Thatcher's skirt.

The contents of a thrown egg drip down the newly installed statue of Baroness Margaret Thatcher Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

Jeremy Webster, who is deputy director at the University of Leicester’s Attenborough Arts Centre, was later named as the culprit.

In response, the university said it "does not condone defacement".

Lincolnshire Police said a 59-year-old man had been spoken to and handed a £90 fine.

In a statement, the force said: "He has been given a £90 fixed penalty notice under section 5 of the Public Order Act."

A worker removes the lifting straps from the newly installed statue of Baroness Margaret Thatcher Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

The £300,000 statue was originally intended for Parliament Square in Westminster after a planning committee unanimously voted in favour of it in February 2019.

In 2020, a large-scale £100,000 unveiling ceremony was approved by the council.

It led to a Facebook group proposing an "egg-throwing contest" at the event, which attracted interest from more than 13,000 people.

A CCTV camera was installed directly opposite the memorial to attempt to combat any further threats of vandalism, the council said.

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