He has been sentenced in court after the incident in July which led to a cordon being put in place for hours
Danny Baldwin admitted four offences of causing criminal damage following a rooftop standoff on Anlaby Road, Hull(Image: Submitted/Humberside Police)
Serious danger was caused to people – and a £20,000 trail of damage was left – after a man climbed on to the roofs of a row of houses and hurled bricks and tiles down to the ground. Police had to put a cordon in place, close businesses and evacuate people from the area.
There was a “high risk of injury to the people below” and massive inconvenience was caused to many people, Hull Crown Court heard. Danny Baldwin, 40, of Raglan Street, west Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted four offences of causing criminal damage on July 17.
Poppy Walker, prosecuting, said that Baldwin climbed on to the roof area of a row of four buildings in Anlaby Road, west Hull, and he stayed up there for a about three hours. He pulled bricks out of a chimney and grabbed roof tiles before throwing them down.
He took off his shirt and tracksuit bottoms and shouted. A large number of police officers were sent to the scene and a cordon was put in place.
Businesses closed and people were evacuated from buildings. Negotiators were called in and Baldwin did eventually come down from the roof area by slipping off a sloping roof and landing on the ground.
He was taken to hospital for treatment to minor injuries. The total cost of the damage caused was estimated at £20,000.
“The incident did cause a significant impact on the availability of police officers to respond to other incidents as well as on the businesses on that road,” said Miss Walker. “The defendant had an intention to cause serious damage and to cause a high risk of injury to the people below.”
One of the residents who was affected later said that he had suffered financially and emotionally through someone destroying his property in “such a horrible way”. He condemned the “mindless vandalism”.
Another man said: “This damage was unexpected and it has made me angry and it is going to affect me financially. I am now worried about the roof.” The damage could cause problems if the weather took a turn for the worse.
A woman said: “I am worried about how this will affect me financially.” She was very angry.
Baldwin made no comment to questions during police interview. He had convictions for 16 previous offences, including four for criminal damage, most recently in 2024.
Steven Garth, mitigating, said that Baldwin had been in custody for about seven weeks. He pleaded guilty at an early stage and he would be helped by working with the probation service on his problems.
Recorder Brian Whitehead told Baldwin: “It was quite extensive damage and it had an impact upon society itself while this was going on. I don’t really see that much is to be served by keeping you in prison.”
Baldwin was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence, a one-year probation service programme and 15 days’ rehabilitation.
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