Did you ever have your car scratched in Newcastle?
Discussion
It could have been this fella:
http://news.sky.com/story/1058930/graffiti-profess...
Text below:
"A university professor has been ordered to pay £28,000 worth of compensation - his life's savings - for scratching "polite" graffiti such as "very silly" on cars.
Stephen Graham had mixed alcohol with medication and was dressed in his underpants and a suit jacket when he attacked 27 cars in Jesmond, Newcastle, last August.
Words he scratched with his screwdriver also included "arbitrary" and "wrong".
A red Audi A1, a grey Volvo and a Mercedes were among the cars he attacked.
Graham had admitted four counts of criminal damage and asked for another 23 cases to be taken into consideration.
A report by a forensic psychiatrist, Don Grubin, for the defence, found the professor was in a "dissociative state" when he scratched the cars, and was detached from reality.
Judge Guy Whitburn at Newcastle Crown Court said the defendant's behaviour was totally out of character but said the compensation - effectively the 48-year-old professor and his wife's life savings - must be paid in full.
The cost of repairs to each vehicle varied from around £300 to several thousand pounds, the court heard.
The night of the attack, the distinguished academic, a sleep mask still on his forehead, was found to be wearing underpants, trainers and just a suit jacket, the court heard.
He had taken antibiotics for an infection after he had a tooth removed, and was taking medication for a depressive illness.
He told police he had also drunk three quarters of a bottle of gin.
The judge said he hoped the professor, a city and society expert at Newcastle University, would not lose his job, but added he had no influence on what happened.
A university spokesman said: "Following today's court appearance of Professor Stephen Graham, we will be considering the matter through normal university procedures.
"We are unable to comment further on an individual employee."
Can't help thinking they've been a tad harsh on him really, a jobless 19yr old would probably got a few weeks community service.....
http://news.sky.com/story/1058930/graffiti-profess...
Text below:
"A university professor has been ordered to pay £28,000 worth of compensation - his life's savings - for scratching "polite" graffiti such as "very silly" on cars.
Stephen Graham had mixed alcohol with medication and was dressed in his underpants and a suit jacket when he attacked 27 cars in Jesmond, Newcastle, last August.
Words he scratched with his screwdriver also included "arbitrary" and "wrong".
A red Audi A1, a grey Volvo and a Mercedes were among the cars he attacked.
Graham had admitted four counts of criminal damage and asked for another 23 cases to be taken into consideration.
A report by a forensic psychiatrist, Don Grubin, for the defence, found the professor was in a "dissociative state" when he scratched the cars, and was detached from reality.
Judge Guy Whitburn at Newcastle Crown Court said the defendant's behaviour was totally out of character but said the compensation - effectively the 48-year-old professor and his wife's life savings - must be paid in full.
The cost of repairs to each vehicle varied from around £300 to several thousand pounds, the court heard.
The night of the attack, the distinguished academic, a sleep mask still on his forehead, was found to be wearing underpants, trainers and just a suit jacket, the court heard.
He had taken antibiotics for an infection after he had a tooth removed, and was taking medication for a depressive illness.
He told police he had also drunk three quarters of a bottle of gin.
The judge said he hoped the professor, a city and society expert at Newcastle University, would not lose his job, but added he had no influence on what happened.
A university spokesman said: "Following today's court appearance of Professor Stephen Graham, we will be considering the matter through normal university procedures.
"We are unable to comment further on an individual employee."
Can't help thinking they've been a tad harsh on him really, a jobless 19yr old would probably got a few weeks community service.....
This is one of his books, no wonder people are terrified in battleground cities with nutters like him about damaging their property!
'Cities are the new battleground of our increasingly urban world. From the slums of the global South to the wealthy financial centers of the West, Cities Under Siege traces the spread of political violence through the sites, spaces, infrastructure and symbols of the world’s rapidly expanding metropolitan areas.'
'Cities are the new battleground of our increasingly urban world. From the slums of the global South to the wealthy financial centers of the West, Cities Under Siege traces the spread of political violence through the sites, spaces, infrastructure and symbols of the world’s rapidly expanding metropolitan areas.'
Baryonyx said:
I doubt you would be saying this if you had had your vehicle damaged.
I would be saying exactly the same if someone had damaged my car. People with mental health problems are treated as third-rate citizens and palmed off with drugs complimented by bugger all follow-up. When people are professionals there is a bizarre expectation of the courts that they 'should know better', completely ignoring salient reasons for behaviour. It's one of the most draconian aspects of the justice system and is wholly wrong, as is the fact that geography no doubt influenced the sentence. If this had occurred in a London borough it would have been a slap on the wrist.
LongLiveTazio said:
Baryonyx said:
I doubt you would be saying this if you had had your vehicle damaged.
I would be saying exactly the same if someone had damaged my car. People with mental health problems are treated as third-rate citizens and palmed off with drugs complimented by bugger all follow-up. When people are professionals there is a bizarre expectation of the courts that they 'should know better', completely ignoring salient reasons for behaviour. It's one of the most draconian aspects of the justice system and is wholly wrong, as is the fact that geography no doubt influenced the sentence. If this had occurred in a London borough it would have been a slap on the wrist.
Actually, on reflection I think my battered old shed would actually benefit from some of his graffiti, certainly a talking point....
Article said:
He had taken antibiotics for an infection after he had a tooth removed, and was taking medication for a depressive illness.
He told police he had also drunk three quarters of a bottle of gin.
Out of interest what would we think had he driven and crashed into someone (I'm not sure myself)? It sounds like paying for the damage is fair enough. He told police he had also drunk three quarters of a bottle of gin.
Article said:
The night of the attack, the distinguished academic, a sleep mask still on his forehead, was found to be wearing underpants, trainers and just a suit jacket, the court heard.
Should have put the pants on his head...Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff