The gravestone of a baby boy buried in Teddington Cemetery has been desecrated for a third time in four months.

The "sickening" act of vandalism has left the grave of Patrick James O’Mara-Roberts, who died in 1994 aged two years and 11 months, kicked in and smashed.

Mother Maxine regularly tends to the site with her family, surrounding little Patrick's plot with toys and ornaments.

The first attack on his grave was in May this year, when the picture of Patrick on the headstone was smashed in and a small bear and gnome taken.

Further criminal damage and thefts of objects, which Ms O’Mara said were of no financial worth and would mean nothing to anyone outside of the family, happened in June.

A 56-year-old-woman was arrested in July in connection with the thefts and  bailed to return to a west London police station in early September.

Ms O’Mara had the photo of her son restored last week but was shocked to find it had been smashed in once again over the weekend.

She said: "It is sickening. Every plant around the grave was kicked in again too and a new toy penguin I had put there had been stolen.

"I just cannot understand who would want to do something like this.

She added: "My son was very ill and the picture showed him with tubes in his face.

To know someone has just stood there and smashed in a picture of a baby who is very ill is just sickening."

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Richmond Police’s superintendent Simon Message expressed his regret that the police had been unable to prevent these crimes taking place.

He said: "They have been an extremely unpleasant experience for the family, causing them considerable distress."

Ms O’Mara said she was not sure what could be done to prevent any further incidents, as she had been told installing CCTV equipment in the cemetery was out of the question.

She said: "They could increase security or make the wall higher, I don’t know. I just want this to end."
A spokesman from Richmond Council said everything possible had been done to secure the cemetery grounds.

He said: "Unfortunately, if an individual is determined enough to break into a cemetery there is very little a local authority can do. 

"We have never experienced a case like this before and we are doing everything we can to assist the police with their investigation."