Graffiti trio sentenced for 4,000 vandalism spree (From Salisbury … – Salisbury Journal

THREE graffiti vandals responsible for nearly 4,000 of damage have been ordered to pay compensation.

Ben Bartlett, 23, of Neville Close, Salisbury, Michael Davies, 29, of Rollestone Street, Salisbury, and Jack Ellis, 21, of Shears Drive, Amesbury, admitted criminal damage in Salisbury Magistrate's Court today (Friday).

The trio were responsible for 3,928.87 worth of damage and appeared in court for 14 charges between them.

Prosecuting, Kate Prince, said Wiltshire Police had been investigating an increase of graffiti in Salisbury with more than 200 "tags" recorded between January and October 2016.

Bartlett was identified as a suspect made full admissions when arrested.

Davies was arrested after admitting on his Facebook page that he was a graffiti writer, rather than his brother who had wrongly been arrested.

Ellis also outed himself on Facebook in a series of comments on the Journals Facebook page and his own profile.

Items they vandalised included a carriage at Salisbury railway station, to which 2,100 worth of damage was caused.

An Iceland delivery van, a shutter belonging to the Trussell Trust, a wall of the Chapter House pub and other buildings around the city had also been vandalised.

Bartlett used the tag 'Nesek', Davies used 'KRS' or 'Kearsey' and Ellis used 'Peak' or 'PK'.

A statement from Cllr Mike Osment stated: "Unsolicited, wanton graffiti is simply an act of vandalism in a different form.

"In this financial year [2016], and on Salisbury City Council land alone, 1,320 has already been spent with contractors to remove graffiti with another estimated 1,200 yet to be arranged.

"It should also be remembered at all times that of course the monies taken to remedy graffiti is not from some mysterious source, it is public money that everybody pays via their various taxes.

"In today's climate of ever lessening availability of public funds, the impact of graffiti is therefore extenuated to an even higher level of impact."

Bartlett, representing himself in court, said: "We love the art, we love it with a passion."

He said he had to travel to Southampton or Bournemouth to paint graffiti legally, despite his low income.

He told magistrates Salisbury "should have a wall of its own to do it [graffiti] without the worry of being caught or anything".

Defending, Matthew George said Salisbury City Council had declined Davies' offer to clean up the graffiti.

He said Davies had stopped doing graffiti and had a "desire to become a professional artist".

Defending Ellis, Nick Redhead said: "I think it would be fair to say these are not always easy crimes for the police to investigate.

"To a significant extent, Mr Ellis has sidestepped that difficulty for the police by making the disclosures that he has."

He added: "This is not a victimless crime and sometimes people lose sight of that, as perhaps Mr Ellis did.

"He expresses himself as more interested in the art side of this, rather than damaging people's property."

Magistrate Debbie Slater order Bartlett to pay compensation of 2,268, Davies to pay 785 and Ellis to pay 875.

Bartlett and Ellis must also carry out 150 hours' unpaid work each, but Davies was unsuitable due to depression.

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Graffiti trio sentenced for 4,000 vandalism spree (From Salisbury ... - Salisbury Journal