ACT: Man nabbed by cops after flag stolen from police memorial

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2008
ACT: Man nabbed by cops after flag stolen from police memorial

CANBERRA, Aug 4 AAP - A young man who planned to hang an Australian flag stolen from
the National Police Memorial on his bedroom wall was nabbed after police spotted the flag
in his car, an ACT court has heard.

Damien John Lakin, from Canberra, had disrespected a "sacred" symbol, the ACT Magistrates
Court was told today.

The 18-year-old was arrested by police on the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June
after they spotted the flag - which had been stolen on the Saturday night - in the back
of his car the next day.

The flag had been donated to the memorial - which commemorates officers killed while
on duty - just a month previously.

Lakin had attended a number of parties on Saturday June 7 and an unknown person had
stolen the flag and then left it the rear of his car, the court heard.

His lawyer said it was "a classic case of being in the wrong place when somebody else
does the wrong thing".

During a police interview Lakin said he knew the flag was stolen but he intended to
keep it and hang it on his bedroom wall.

In recording a conviction on one charge of receiving stolen property, Magistrate Beth
Campbell said Lakin's involvement in the "stupid prank" was serious and would be seen
by many as a sign of disrespect.

"The Australian flag ... is regarded as quite sacred by people in the community," the
magistrate said.

Lakin was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

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KEYWORD: LAKIN

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