A man has been arrested after allegedly defacing the Martin Place Cenotaph.

Just before 9.30pm, CCTV cameras captured the apparently drunk man approaching the war memorial.

He allegedly removed flowers from a wreath and placed them in the soldier’s hands, placed a cigarette lighter in his left arm and a cigarette on the rifle.

The man has then poured beer on the soldier’s feet before walking away.

The 43-year-old was arrested by officers near Castlereagh Street and has been charged with committing an offensive act on a war memorial and wilfully defacing a protected place.

He’s been granted conditional bail and will appear in court next month.