A Kent vandal has been handed a community order for repainting dozens of Royal Mail postboxes in the Dartford area.
Danny Whiskin, 33, of Chaucer Way, Dartford, admitted 37 offences of criminal damage when he appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court on Monday, 11th March 2024.
The case was reopened to allow him to enter one further guilty plea, taking his tally to 38 offences, when he appeared for sentencing at the same court on Friday, 31st May 2024.
Criminal damage is an offence under section 1(1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Criminal damage below £5,000 is a summary offence, with a maximum penalty of 3 months' custody and/or a fine at level 4. We have previously written a guide to the offence of criminal damage, which some readers may find of interest.
Magistrates heard that Royal Mail's distinctive red postboxes started changing colour on 31st January 2024.
Between 31st January and 9th February a total of 15 postboxes were repainted in a variety of vivid colours and designs.
At that point a member of the public recorded Whiskin vandalising yet another post box. The footage was passed to the police, who arrested the wannabe Banksy on 13th February.
Sidomiso Moyo, prosecuting at the sentencing hearing, told the court that officers searching Whiskin's property recovered 29 spray cans and clothing matching that worn in the video footage.
Receipts and retail CCTV footage confirmed that he had bought a significant number of spray cans over the preceding weeks.
Whiskin was released on police bail with conditions that he did not possess a spray can or paint anything in a public place.
However, the very next day Whiskin resumed his painting spree, vandalising a further 22 postboxes before he was rearrested and charged on 9th March.
During his six week spree Whiskin repainted most of the postboxes in gold. He repainted others in the style of Mr Blobby, a Friesian cow, a Cadbury's Creme Egg and the England flag.
On 16th April, whilst subject to court bail and awaiting sentence, Whiskin repainted another postbox in the colours of the Union flag. He was again caught on camera doing so, which led to his further arrest and search of his property.
In total £5,700 worth of damage was caused to the 38 post boxes, each one costing £150 to repaint in traditional red.
The court heard that Whiskin has 8 previous convictions for 17 offences, including one of criminal damage.
Helgaardt Strydom, mitigating, told the court that his client's offending had not been sophisticated.
Addressing the Bench, he said: "He lives with his mum and had an unhappy childhood and has five children and only talks to them by mail.
"You may ask where the mother of the children is, she's moved on, abandoned the children and him.
"Life is not a rosy one, it’s a fairly bleak one, he's doing the best that he can."
A pre-sentence report indicated that Whiskin had some mental health issues and was willing to engage with rehabilitation.
Whiskin was made subject to an 18-month community order with the requirement that he undertakes 100 hours' unpaid work, 12 sessions on the mental health programme, 26 sessions on the thinking skills programme and up to 30 days' rehabilitation activity.
He was also ordered to pay £2,600 compensation to Royal Mail and £114 surcharge.
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