Court orders graffiti vandal to pay more than £1,500

A graffiti vandal has been ordered to pay more than £1,500 by magistrates. 

William King, 20, of Weyburn Drive, Ramsgate, was yesterday (Tuesday 19 November) found guilty in his absence of tagging five different locations across Canterbury. 

Folkestone Magistrates’ Court was told that King was caught on CCTV cameras in April tagging the Grade I-listed Fyndon’s Gate which forms part of St Augustine’s Abbey.  

The same man was also believed to have graffitied Canterbury Magistrates’ Court and the King Ethelbert statue in Lady Wootton’s Green. 

Canterbury City Council’s Environmental Crime and Graffiti Officers opened an investigation and traced him to an address in Canterbury.  

In an interview, King admitted that he was responsible for five tags all of which breached the council’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). 

King was fined £120 for each instance of graffiti, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £240 and costs of £200.  

He was also ordered to pay £517.90 in compensation for cleaning costs. 

Cllr Connie Nolan, the council’s Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Safety and Enforcement, said: “Tagging is simply vandalism by another name and affects everyone’s quality of life by making a beautiful city like Canterbury look horrible and grimy. 

“I am pleased our investigation tracked down the culprit and they have been punished. 

“Let that be a lesson to other taggers out there – we will find you and we will prosecute you.” 

So far this year, the council’s team has cleaned off more than 5,703 pieces of graffiti. 

Published: 20 November 2024