That's not very zen! Buddhist monk is jailed for 162-car tyre-slashing rampage after he accidentally stepped on an insect
Julian Glew, 45, who lives in a tent in the woodlands, went on the rampage
The Buddhist monk became angry when he accidentally killed an insect
Has now been jailed for 11 weeks after going on the run for three months
Judge said his actions were 'not those of a person who lives for a peaceful co-existence'
By THOMAS BURROWS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 03:51 EST, 21 January 2016 | UPDATED: 06:31 EST, 21 January 2016
Julian Glew, 45, who lives in a tent in the woodlands, went on the rampage because of his religious beliefs
A Buddhist monk slashed the wheels of 162 cars after he became angry when he accidentally squashed an insect.
Julian Glew, 45, who lives in a tent in the woodlands, went on the three-day barefoot rampage because of his religious beliefs.
He has now been jailed for 11 weeks after the judge said his actions were 'not those of a person who lives for a peaceful co-existence.'
Glew became frustrated and upset after inadvertently squashing the insect in September last year.
The 45-year-old, who has lived in the woods for almost 20 years, was arrested several days later following a CCTV appeal by Humberside Police.
At court, he pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage. He was originally due to be sentenced on October 14, but failed to show up in court.
Instead, he went on the run for three months and was finally tracked down by officers in West Yorkshire earlier this month.
Joanne Markham, for the mitigation, told Beverley Magistrates' Court that Glew had suffered some mental health issues in the past.
He was described as being 'detached from society' and having previously lived in a Buddhist monastery.
She said accommodation had been found for him at a hostel in Princes Avenue, west Hull, following his first court appearance, but it 'didn't work because of how he was used to living'.
Miss Markham added: 'He has indicated that he feels he should go to prison for what he has done. He has no previous incidents on his record and he lives without means, not claiming any benefits.'
Sentencing him to 11 weeks in prison, Judge Fred Rutherford said: 'I have noted the facts of this case, but I am still left here with someone who says he did not want to hurt anyone but went out of his way to affect 162 people by causing them massive financial inconvenience.
'He targeted vehicles randomly and slashed the tyres. That is not the actions of a person who lives for a peaceful co-existence.'
Most of the tyres were not obviously wrecked, but the irreparable damage was discovered when they were inflated and the pin-***** was found.
CCTV shows Buddhist monk Julian Glew in Pocklington driveway
The barefoot 'Pocklington *****er' walks away after slashing a tyre on one of the 162 vehicles he targeted
Glew, who lives in the woodlands, walks away after puncturing a tyre on a parked car in Pocklington
Jailing Glew at Beverley Magistrates' Court, District Judge Fred Rutherford expressed incredulity at his claims not to want to harm anybody 'but nevertheless went out of his way to affect at least 162 people'
MECHANIC WAS INUNDATED WITH JOBS BUT MOST TYRES WERE BEYOND REPAIR
Motor mechanic John Galley was inundated with jobs following the slashing spree, but said many of the tyres could not be repaired.
In an interview with ITV, he said: 'Most weren't obviously damaged, but were deflated and flat.
'You had to inflate them to find the damage that was usually a pin-*****, but it was damaged in such a way that the tyre wouldn't repair.
'There was only certain types of repair that you can conduct on the tyre and generally speaking these were sidewall damage that meant it was a new tyre.'
Inspector Joanne York, of Humberside Police, welcomed the sentence.
She said: 'Sentencing Julian Glew to 11 weeks in custody is good news for the residents of Pocklington and justice has been seen to be done.
'Vehicles were damaged over two nights in Pocklington in September 2015 which caused widespread upset and concern to the residents of Pocklington at the time. The incidents caused great inconvenience and financial loss to all those victims.
'Following his initial arrest in September he was bailed to appear in court but failed to attend and spent several weeks avoiding arrest. Mr Glew had left the Pocklington area after he failed to appear at court.
'I am very grateful to the people of Pocklington for their assistance and their support while we have carried out our investigations.'
Detective Sergeant John Burrell of Humberside Police said the case had been unprecedented in the 'pleasant and peaceful' town and had caused upset and financial loss to many.
He described Glew's excuse as 'drivel', adding: 'His is not a particularly coherent theological view and I don't think adherents of Buddhism would share the view that it was OK to inconvenience hundreds of people on account of an accident.'
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