'Senseless vandals' damage 'iconic' and 'irreplaceable' angel glass at Guildford Cathedral

Guildford Cathedral says vandals have caused considerable damage to its iconic glass panes.

The police were called to the cathedral in the early hours of Friday (12 January) after vandals smashed one of the glass panels and an investigation is underway.

The damaged window panel is part of a set of sentinel angels engraved by glass artist John Hutton (1906 - 1978) which are an iconic feature of the west front of the Cathedral and an acclaimed piece of 20th-century art.

Matt O’Grady, Chief Operating Officer said: "Everyone at the Cathedral is devastated by this senseless act of vandalism at a holy place.

"The smashed window was engraved by renowned glass engraving artist John Hutton and is irreplaceable.

"We hope that the whole community will come together to recognise that acts such as this serve no purpose and that places such as our Cathedral need to be preserved as shrines of peace, tranquillity, and spirituality in a troubled world."

Surrey Police say 31-year-old Joshua Sandford, of no fixed abode, has been charged with five counts of criminal damage, one count of burglary, and two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm and distress.

He will be appearing at Guildford Crown Court on Monday 12 February and he is currently released with bail conditions.

This is in relation to a series of offences that took place in Guildford on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 January, Including a report of criminal damage at Guildford Cathedral.

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