SELFISH TAGGER GETS AWAY WITH IT

THE writing is on the wall for serial graffiti tagger Jonathan Chalmers who has been given a three-year ASBO for an eight-month crimewave.

A selfish dim witted idiot from 11 Falstaff Avenue, Earley (pictured) has been banned from going anywhere near The University of Reading after blighting 40 walls, roofs and signposts in and around the campus with his distinctive ‘alien’ tag from October last year to May.

Chalmers, of Falstaff Avenue, was busted on the night of Monday, May 21, when security guards “disturbed” him painting his tag on a university campus wall, Reading magistrates heard.

But three days later he was spotted by Inspector Phil O’Neil in Wilderness Road late at night with blue paint on his hands and a rucksack full of spray cans.

Insp O’Neil arrested Chalmers for possession with intent to cause criminal damage and he was taken to Loddon Valley Police Station.

But when officers forgot to wash the blue paint off, Chalmers used his second night in custody to paint the ‘alien’ tag on the cell walls using his hands.

He was charged with causing criminal damage to Thames Valley Police property and again granted bail to reappear at Loddon Police Station in June.

The incident at the station left police with the necessary clues.

The print was passed on to anti-social behaviour officer Dave Bowler, who identified 40 tags on his ‘graffiti database’ that Chalmers later admitted to during his police interview.

On Tuesday, magistrates handed Chalmers a three-year ASBO banning him from entering the University area. He was also banned from carrying spray paint in public for the same period.
Unemployed Chalmers also received 150 hours community service, and must pay £200 in compensation for the £2,000 of damage he caused, plus £60 court costs.

The court previously heard police raided Chalmers home, where he lives with his parents, and found 30 spray cans, and a rolled cannabis joint in his bedroom drawer.
Chalmers also admitted causing criminal damage to an Environment Agency building in King’s Meadow and Earley train station.

Phil Orr, defending, said Chalmers suffered from Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and found it extremely difficult to channel his energy.

Mr Orr said the defendant was a gifted art student with a GNVQ in art and design. Chalmers is now looking at how he can use his artistic skills on a voluntary basis for the local authorities.

Mr Orr added: “My client has struggled with acceptance dring his life, and unfortunately for the very first time, found friendship and a common interest with the graffiti gang he was part of.”

First printed in: Reading Evening Post

Let's get something straight - if you want to damage PUBLIC property, scribble on everyone's street and act in an anti social way, then don't moan when that public has no sympathy for you when you get what's due.

Ron , Reading

Asberger's Syndrome is no excuse to ruin the visual environment for everybody else. From the last two comments we can assume that all AS sufferers spray uninteresting and frankly idiotic 'spacemen' on everything do they? Ollie's comment that graffiti hurts no-one is purile.

Teak, Reading

Alot of you posting on this site are total niave towards a mental illness/disorder. There's you you're all cussin and making what you think tobe 'correct' comments about this person like 'always a excuse' do you live with asperger syndrome? i ashume not so who the f*ck are you to judge. graffiti doesn't harm anyone but when someone dies non of you give a 5hit. I'm not saying graffiti should be accepted but nobody cares about anything nless it envolves their taxs it seems.

Ollie, Reading

i think that everybody should stop being derogatory about johny, and calling him things like "low life twat" because you dont even know him! he is a really cool person and is capable of producing good graffiti art in places that are not frowned apon i.e skate parks, people tag because they are in crews with other artists and want to mark their teratory so to speak. the article made him sound worse than he really is. and saying that aspergers syndrome is an excuse then that is just horrible!

jwb, reading

Right so he's gifted and unemployed surely there's some decorating company out there that is crying out for his help? Unemployed but managed to buy paint i would of thought dole money should go to something more worthwhile. In the mean time make him go around with the council graffiti team and help remove all the other ridiculous tags

Fellow Reading Resident, Reading

Oh there is always an excuse. I suppose the cannabis helps with this syndrome? They should have also made him pay the whole of the cleaning charges. Fancy daubing a prison cell wall with the very thing you are being accused of, ha ha, moron.

Lou, Nottingham