Stephen Harwood-Stamper, 63, of %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_0%%, West Sussex, used an angle grinder to chop down a ULEZ camera pole in Sidcup, south east London. The incident happened on the morning of December 6, 2023, just hours after the camera was installed at the junction of White Oak Gardens and Willersley Avenue.
Camera Later Destroyed by Explosion, But Not His Doing
Though Harwood-Stamper took responsibility for cutting down the pole, the camera itself was later blown up by someone using an improvised explosive device. Prosecutor Charles Drinnan confirmed the explosives were not linked to Harwood-Stamper.
Man Loses Job and Pension for Law-Breaking Stunt
Harwood-Stamper pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Woolwich Crown Court on October 6. As a result of his actions, he lost his engineering job in the City of London and his pension. His lawyer Markus Finlay revealed he has since been reduced to working as a labourer.
"He was an assistant engineer in the City of London doing a very technical job. He's now a labourer," said Finlay.
Judge Hands Down Community Order, Orders Compensation
Judge Philip Shorrock condemned the stunt and dismissed calls for a lenient sentence.
"Taking the law into your hands is never a good idea and you learnt that lesson the hard way," he told Harwood-Stamper.
The judge slapped him with a one-year community order, including 80 hours of unpaid work. Harwood-Stamper must also pay £2,467 in compensation to Transport for London.
In a letter to the court, Harwood-Stamper apologised, saying his family was “tainted and embarrassed by the public shame caused by their father”.
