Lout urinates on war memorial

A DRUNKEN teenager on a student pub crawl has been blasted today after he was photographed urinating over poppies laid for the dead at a city's war memorial.

Sport technology undergraduate Phil Laing who had been
boozing for hours openly desecrated the memorial at midnight
after a drunken binge.
The student was so drunk he even gave his
NAME to people at the scene before collapsing in
laughter minutes later.




Servicemen's groups are outraged over the student's actions and branded him "disgraceful and deeply offensive".

Laing is also facing a dressing down from chiefs at Sheffield Hallam University....and his family.

The 19-year-old, who got hammered on a booze session on Sunday, told today of his shock at his actions and then issued a grovelling apology.

The student who had been at the university for a matter of weeks admitted he had drunk so much he could NOT REMEMBER what he had done.

He said in a statement: "I am deeply ashamed of this photograph and I am sincerely sorry for my behaviour.

"I didn't realise how much alcohol I had consumed that night and also hadn't eaten since lunchtime, which worsened the effect. I have no recollection of the events in the photograph, although I recognise that this does not excuse my actions.

"I apologise unreservedly for any offence I may have caused."

Disgusting

His actions came after going on a "Carnage UK" pub crawl organised for students at cities around the country.

As he staggered around the city centre wearing trendy £100 Diesel jeans and a Carnage t-shirt, he opened his trousers before relieving himself on the poppies and wooden crosses placed in memory of loved ones.

He stood on a memorial plaque reading: "In eternal recognition of the men and women of Sheffield who lost their lives in the cause of freedom in conflicts and peace keeping duties throughout the world.

"We will remember them."

Laing, who could be prosecuted for vandalism, urinating in a public place and indecent exposure, was caught on camera after a Sunday night booze session ended in the early hours of last Monday morning.

A fellow reveller, who did not want to be named, said: "He'd had a lot to drink, and I mean a lot.

"But that is no excuse for what he did. He ended up sleeping on the pavement and then had to be taken home by some of his pals.

"He will be thoroughly ashamed of himself when he realises how upset people are."

A shocked onlooker said: "It was truly disgusting. He was staggering around and kept on falling over and then he just decided to pee on the war memorial, like he thought it was the most normal thing in the world.

"The disrespect he showed was truly overwhelming. If his grandfather fought in the war I'm sure he would be deeply ashamed."

South Yorkshire Police have requested the photograph and will decide whether charges can be brought later this week.

Royal British Legion South Yorkshire County manager Russ Murray said that people would be "sickened" and "offended."

He added: "I'm horrified. This lad is 19 years old. There are others his age who are at this moment giving their lives and limbs for their country by fighting in Afghanistan.

"It would be shocking to think he knew what he was doing. But drinking like this is no excuse. I hope he is deeply ashamed of what he has done.

"If he had taken the time to look he would have seen the names of people who gave their lives at his age so he and others can enjoy the freedoms they do today."

A national spokesman for the Royal British Legion added: "The Legion is saddened to hear of this senseless incident. War memorials and graves honour the memory of the British Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice and those who defend the freedom we enjoy."

Varsity Leisure Group who run the student nights under the banner Carnage UK has come in for heavy criticism in recent years over the antics of drunken students.

Organisers provide revellers with souvenir t-shirts and exclusive entry into a series of nightspots for the knockdown price of £10.

The events attract up to 2,500 students each night as it tours around the UK every October, with hundreds getting so drunk they can hardly stand up.

Every reveller's t-shirt is emblazoned with each venue in the mass pub crawl and students tick off each pub or club visited with a red pen after they have downed a few drinks in the establishment.

The t-shirts also bear printed challenges for the wearers to perform — such as getting a piece of underwear from the opposite sex.

A spokesman for VLG said: "We are currently investigating this matter and will assist the authorities in any way that we can.

"VLG has the greatest respect and admiration for all those would be who lost their lives in the defence of this country. It is appalled by anyone treating a monument to commemorate those people in a disrespectful manner."

They said their events were managed "very responsibly" with organisers working closely with local Police to ensure that the events took place without major incident.