Sunderland man spray painted 'Boris is a ******' on police station window

David Potter, 44, daubed the message on Sunday, September 19, 2020, 10 days after Boris Johnson announced fresh coronavirus restrictions across England.

Potter, of Southside Gardens, South Hylton, also did so after a run in with officers in a Sunderland pub.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stirland told magistrates in South Tyneside the real target of his ire at Waterloo Place station was unmistakable.

He said: “I think there’s no doubt that the 'Boris' is our current Prime Minister. Mr Potter is expressing an opinion on our current Prime Minister.

“In due course he fully admits spray painting ‘Boris is a ******’ onto a window. He admitted he had no right to do that.

“You’ve got a man who has daubed an opinion on that window.”

Potter struck soon after being approached in Sunderland’s Jungle Bar by officers, with “an interaction” taking place, Mr Stirland said.

He added: “Thereafter, there was some intelligence that Mr Potter was responsible for damage to police property.

“CCTV shows the defendant using spray to write the words ‘Boris is a ******’ on a window of Waterloo Place police station.”

The court heard Potter broke glass in an attack on the same station at 10.47pm on Sunday, August 2 of the same year.

Mr Stirland said security footage showed two men approach the station, with one punching out a panel, while the second was not involved.

Potter, who has 120 offences to his name, including 10 against property, from 31 previous convictions, was identified and arrested.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of causing criminal damage.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said he had struggled with mental health problems during lockdown.

Of the spray painting, she added: “He wasn’t in a good place at all.

“He’s taken himself to the police station to get himself arrested so that he didn’t do anything stupid to himself.”

Potter was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and must pay Northumbria Police compensation of £120 for the spray attack and £250 for damaging the panel.

There were £85 court costs and a £22 victim surcharge.