A pair of drugs campaigners accused of damaging Cupar’s war memorial have been acquitted.
Ric May, 55, and Stef Ollandini, 55, both from Dundee, had faced allegations of damaging the monument by maliciously writing on it with chalk and permanent marker between June 20 2019 and September 5 2019.
It was further alleged the pair maliciously wrote on a bank machine in Sainsbury’s store, St Andrews, on September 4 2019 using permanent marker and chalk.
May, of Milton Street, and Ollandi, of Riverside Place, were due to stand trial on Thursday.
However, with preparations incomplete despite the scheduled hearing being three years after the alleged vandalism, the pair were formally found not guilty by Sheriff Alison Michie.
The sheriff said: “This has got a very lengthy procedural history.”
She noted during proceedings, warrants were issued for both accused.
Descriptions of what had allegedly been written on the monument and ATM were not disclosed at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Chalk prayers
In 2019, May told the Evening Telegraph he and his co-accused were among a group of seven people known as the SO7, who had been writing “silent prayers” in chalk around Dundee.
He suggested the group were writing these prayers, relating to Dundee’s drug deaths crisis, beyond the city as well.
The pair said members of the SO7 group had only written “Jesus” and symbols featuring a cross with a heart in areas such as Kirkton, the city centre and Lochee.
They said they had done it only on empty business premises.
Mr May said: “The reaction from the public to us doing this has been extremely positive.
“People come and approach us and stop to take pictures.
“The messages symbolise lives lost to drugs in Dundee and are essentially silent prayers while sending a message to those left behind.
“We have had a lot of engagement with homeless people and addicts who are very open to Jesus helping them.”
He added: “Unfortunately we can’t stop anyone from adding things on.
“We’ve also placed some of the markings on empty business premises – praying for more jobs.”
Maryfield councillor Ken Lynn said previously the recent incidents were an unwelcome addition to the city centre.
Both accused then stressed the messages they had left were written in chalk and they did not condone others who used spray paint.
At the time, May added: “This hasn’t only been done in Dundee.
“We travel around the country to cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow delivering the same message.”
Both men have worked as charity workers focusing on drug rehabilitation.
The pair helped drug addicts across the city with their “Jesus Dug” programme which provides homeless people with canine companions in a bid to change how they’re treated by others.
They have also campaigned for a residential drug rehabilitation facility in the city.
