Racist scrawled obscene graffiti on Leeds plaque to David Oluwale before tossing replacement into River Aire

Gregory Palmer was found guilty at Leeds Magistrates’ Court today of criminal damage, having already admitted one count.

The blue plaque was put on Leeds Bridge in April of last year to commemorate Nigerian Mr Oluwale, who was hounded by police because of his race in the 1960s and died in the city’s river.

It was heard that Palmer, who lives in Bramley, was twice caught on CCTV on Leeds Bridge last year, first writing the obscene words “******* joke m8” on the blue plaque using a black marker on May 20, then less than two months later on July 7, he was seen pulling the replacement plaque from the wall before throwing it into the river.

He previously admitted criminal damage by pulling the plaque down and discarding it into the water, but claimed somebody had written racist language across it and he “didn’t want anyone else to see it”. This account was rejected by the presiding judge, District Judge Gareth Williams during today’s hearing.

For the previous incident, Palmer said the graffiti was already written on the plaque, and he claimed he tried to use a whiteboard marker from his bag to write over the existing words because of their offensive nature.

But District Judge Williams disbelieved Palmer and found him guilty of a second offence of criminal damage, and also found the incidents were racially motivated.

He said: “I have listened to the explanations provided and I do not accept it. It lacks plausibility. I’m satisfied you wrote those words.”

Mr Oluwale came to the UK in the 1960s but was targeted because of his mental health, homelessness and race. He tragically drowned in the river in 1969 after being chased by racist police officers through the city streets. His death led to the first ever prosecutions of British police involved in the death of a black person.

The plaque was put in place in April last year by the Leeds Civic Trust and has been vandalised several times, not just by Palmer.

Following his arrest, Palmer, of St Peter’s Court, gave no comments during two police interviews. The prosecutor at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, Charles MacRae, questioned why he did not give his explanations then.

Palmer told the court during cross examination this morning that he had been advised by a solicitor not to say anything during his first interview, then said he “just wanted to go home” as the reason for refusing to answer questions on the second occasion.

The CCTV footage from both incidents were played to the court. During the first on May 20, he appears to stop and read the plaque, before walking a short distance away and returning.

Appearing to remove the pen from his bag, he waited until nobody was close by before writing on the plaque and walking away. On the second offence, he again walked up to the plaque, and removed it easily before quickly throwing it into the river.

A report into Palmer is currently being prepared by the probation service before he is sentenced.