Porcupine vandal ordered to pay up

A man in Porcupine Plain, Sask., found himself in a prickly situation recently for his role in damaging the town's beloved mascot, Quilly Willy.

For a quarter century, the colourful four-metre-tall cartoon statue has been a local landmark, but two years ago it was damaged.

Now the justice system is sending a barb toward one of the vandals.

In a Tisdale court earlier this month, a judge fined Anthony James Dean Richardson $575 for failing to make restitution.

Terry Zip, the mayor of the town located 280 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, told CBC News that Quilly needed about $7,000 in repairs after it was knocked from its perch in 2009.

Richardson, who received probation after pleading guilty to mischief, was supposed to pay back $4,000 in regular instalments, but hasn't come through with any cash, the judge was told.

"The town is quite angry about it, still, I've been advised," Crown prosecutor Lori O'Connor said.

In court, Richardson's lawyer said his client lost his job and simply couldn't pay.

The judge didn't buy that and fined him $575 for failing to live up to his probation order. He also ordered Richardson to pay back all the money owed by the end of 2012.

The giant mascot, meanwhile, remains the pride of Porcupine Plain.

O'Connor said she had a look for herself on the weekend.

"Quilly Willy is back up, standing proudly," she said.