Clough statue vandal sent to jail

A man who sprayed white paint on the face of a Brian Clough statue has been jailed for nearly a year.

Dominic Luke-Clarke, 23, of Alfreton Road, Radford, Nottingham, vandalised the £60,000 statue along with business premises to "relieve stress".

Luke-Clarke also broke the conditions of an Anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) banning him from carrying paint or marker pens in a certain area.

Nottingham magistrates jailed Luke-Clarke for 360 days.

Luke-Clarke pleaded guilty to a dozen charges of causing damage and breaching an Asbo in Nottingham.

The court heard he had damaged two properties on Alfreton Road on one occasion and sprayed the Curry Lounge restaurant, a jewellers and a Boots store in the city.

'Smokey' tag

On 20 May, Luke-Clarke had damaged some properties in the city when he approached the Brian Clough statue.

He sprayed the former football manager's face white and sprayed a large "S" to signify his tag of "Smokey" at the scene.

The bench heard it cost around £200 to clean up the statue and a further £200 to clean the restaurant building.

In mitigation, the court heard Luke-Clarke committed the offences "because he wanted to relieve stress and because he got upset about things."

As he was led from the court Luke-Clarke shouted "Don't drink and drive"

Hands clasped

Brian Clough led Derby County and Nottingham Forest to the League Championship and won two successive European Cups with Forest.

Fans raised the £60,000 to pay for the image of their hero in a typical pose with hands clasped above his head.

The 8ft (2.4m) statue was unveiled near Nottingham's old Market Square by his widow Barbara.

The statue, designed by sculptor Les Johnson, stands at the junction of King and Queen Street.

Mr Clough, who also briefly managed Hartlepool, Leeds and Brighton, died in September 2004 from stomach cancer at the age of 69.

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