A workman cleaning the war memorial in Green Park, London[STEVE REIGATE]Andrew Patterson, 31, sprayed the two-foot-high red letters across the monument in London’s Green Park which honours the 55,573 British airmen killed fighting the Nazis.
The Daily Express helped police to track down Patterson by publishing CCTV images of the attack last May.
The memorial’s fundraising director Jim Dooley said: “The Daily Express was fantastic.
“You made it a national issue and elevated its importance.
“I am very sad this happened. To desecrate a memorial is an absolute outrage and the public will not accept it. It is the lowest of the low. The outrage that followed fired the police up to find the culprit.”
Westminster magistrates heard Patterson targeted three central London memorials last May.
The attack on the Portland stone Bomber Command memorial caused damage that cost £6,500 to repair and came five days after the savage street slaughter of Fusilier Rigby, 25, outside Woolwich Barracks.
Patterson also caused £11,550-worth of damage to the Australian War Memorial at Hyde Park Corner and £2,766-worth of damage to the Animals in War Memorial in Park Lane.
I am very sad this happened. To desecrate a memorial is an absolute outrage and the public will not accept it
His arrest brought to an end a year-long campaign of vandalism.
He carried out 94 attacks across the Westminster area and the total repair bill came to £57,000.
Patterson’s solicitor Dan O’Callaghan indicated guilty pleas yesterday on his behalf.
District Judge John Zani committed Patterson’s case to Southwark Crown Court for sentencing after psychiatric reports.
Patterson was granted bail but must remain a resident at the West London Mental Health Trust in Southall.
Daily Express readers raised £1million towards the Bomber Command Memorial.
The newspaper’s owner, Richard Desmond, personally donated another £500,000.
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