A MAN has been banned from having spray cans or any objects that could be used to carry out graffiti in public after a spate of damage across Bournemouth.
Matthew Andrew Charles Ogles appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court on February 2 in relation to four separate charges of criminal damage and a single offence of possessing a knife.
Magistrates heard that he targeted a substation on September 10, 2020, and brick walls on September 18, 2020, in Old Christchurch Road.
The bladed article crime also occurred on September 10 last year at the Dalkeith steps in the town centre.
The 48-year-old also damaged walls and paving in The Square on August 3 last year and, most recently, he spray painted the walls of a room and damaged a ceiling fan, heater drawers and a door at the Russell Court Hotel, in Bath Road, on September 30, 2020.
It was estimated that the hotel damage totalled around £2,000.
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The bench committed Ogles, of no fixed abode, to prison for eight weeks overall, suspended for 12 months.
He was ordered to pay £390 compensation to BCP Council and the same amount to the Russell Court Hotel.
His spray cans and graffiti equipment was to be forfeited and destroyed by police.
Magistrates also issued a criminal behaviour order for 24 months, which states Ogles:
• Must not carry in his possession in any public place spray paint cans or any other article with which to do graffiti.
• Must not be in possession of an open container of alcohol in the county of Dorset.
• Must not graffiti or paint any property not belonging to yourself unless express permission has been sought from the owner of the property beforehand.
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Councillor May Haines, BCP Council portfolio holder for community safety, said: “We work in partnership with the police and support any action they take around individuals who break the law and deface council property.
“As part of our Cleaner, Greener, Safer initiative, we’re committed to bringing a sense of pride back to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with enhanced street cleaning and manual cleansing across all areas – which includes the removal of graffiti on council property.
"Other ideas we’ve got in development include increased CCTV roll-out and additional community safety accreditation scheme (CSAS) resources, all of which will hopefully decrease incidents of graffiti and help people feel proud of their community.”
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