Gateshead burglar threw missiles at emergency services from art gallery roof in seven-hour stand-off
In early July, the quiet façade of Shipley Art Gallery on Prince Consort Road was shattered by a bizarre six‑hour standoff. A 30‑year‑old local, later identified as Daniel Smyth, forced his way in, scaled a drainpipe and perched on the roof, where he proceeded to hurl roof tiles and stolen bottles of wine at responding officers and ambulance crews.
The improvised assault left a police officer with a swollen arm and caused damage estimated between £1,200 and £15,000, affecting the loft, roof and internal doors of the historic venue. Roads around the gallery were closed and the building, which houses a nationally important collection, was forced to remain closed to the public for the day.
At Newcastle Crown Court Smyth pleaded guilty to burglary, assault and criminal damage and received a 16‑month sentence suspended for two years, together with a programme of rehabilitation. The incident has prompted a review of security at the gallery, reminding visitors that even spaces devoted to culture are not immune to the occasional flash of chaos.