The father of a 21-year-old former medical student who allegedly poured human excrement over a memorial of Captain Sir Tom Moore said he is “deeply shamed”.
A video of Maddie Budd's went viral on October 1 after she reportedly poured the excrement over the commemorative statue erected in Thistley Meadow, Derbyshire, in a stunt for the pressure group End UK Private Jets.
The Metropolitan Police then announced on October 2 it has arrested a woman on suspicion of criminal damage on behalf of Derbyshire Constabulary.
The following day, Derbyshire Constabulary said that Ms Budd, from Manchester, had been charged following the arrest.
She has since appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court.
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End UK Private Jets/BPM)End UK Private Jets said on Sunday that the 21-year-old was attending a climate protest in London the day she was escorted by police officers. It added that it believed she had been “arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage” following the incident.
Her father, Jim Budd, has gone on to shockingly say that his daughter had "gone rogue", after giving up her career in medicine to pursue environmental campaigning full-time.
Mr Budd, an award winning glazier, said he and his charity worker wife Harriet, 63, have messaged Maddie, but had no reply, saying: "The shock of this is hurting people and upsetting them", report Coventry Live.
He added: "I’m ashamed of her [...] There has been a big public reaction for obvious reasons. I don’t think she understands what the hell she was unleashing.
"I felt sick with shock when I saw it - I have sent her a text message but she has not replied."
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AFP via Getty Images)The glazier said it was completely "understandable" police were investigating "an act of desecration", adding: "I can’t really apologise on her behalf. Sir Tom was clearly a national hero and the country resonated with his fantastic and amazing actions.
"We are trying to sort it out but if the police get involved then so be it.
"When people are young and vulnerable they can go down roads they would not do later in life."
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Getty Images)Speaking about the incident, Derbyshire Police said: "It has been reported to us that the Captain Sir Tom Moore memorial at Thistley Meadow in Hatton has been defaced. Our officers are aware and enquiries are ongoing."
Sir Tom, who was a Second World War veteran, raised £33million for the NHS during the pandemic - aged 100.
On April 6, 2020, at the age of 99, he started fundraising mission to raise £1,000 for the health service. His aim was to walk a hundred lengths of his garden by his birthday on April 30 and was celebrated as a national hero.
After being knighted by the Queen for his charitable efforts, he tragically died in February last year after testing positive for Covid-19.
