Good Samaritan paints over rude graffiti... but he’s fined £277

WHEN Craig Hunt painted over a patch of obscene graffiti at his local park, he presumed he was doing a good deed for the community.

So he was stunned to receive a knock at the door from a police officer – who handed him a caution for criminal damage and a £277.50 fine.

The former bank worker had taken action after yobs scrawled swear words and lewd pictures on the side of a slide in a skate park popular with children.

Three weeks later, the council had not cleared it up so he used black paint to cover it up.

Instead of thanks, Mr Hunt, from Studley, Warwickshire, was told he had committed vandalism by using ‘the wrong type of paint’ as well as acting without the parish council’s permission.

Mr Hunt, 57, said: ‘When I got the knock on my door I thought it was a police officer to see me about a break-in at my 94-yearold mother’s home.

‘When he told me I was the one in the wrong because I’d painted over the graffiti at the park I was gobsmacked.

‘It’s totally illogical. The graffiti was disgusting, certainly not what you’d want your chil- Stunned: Craig Hunt dren to see, and had been there for three weeks.

‘I’ve done the parish council a favour and they’ve sent me a bill for it. They said I didn’t use anti- slip paint, which is true, but the surface of the park is worn smooth, so the paint I used is grippier than what is there.’

The black emulsion Mr Hunt used to patch over the mess was not an anti- slip paint – which meant that the slide had to be repainted. The council then alerted West Mercia Police.

Mr Hunt, who regularly volunteers as a litter picker, and also does work for Studley in Bloom and Studley Nature Reserve, was handed the bill on Tuesday.

It was accompanied by a visit from the policewoman who explained he was being cautioned for criminal damage. Mr Hunt added: ‘A police woman knocked on my door and stood in my kitchen where she handed me a caution for criminal damage. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

‘I have gone out to cover up explicit graffiti which can be seen by children and it’s me who’s in the wrong? It’s madness.’ Councillor Paul Beaman

‘Madness I’m the one in the wrong’

explained: ‘The parish clerk is under strict instructions if we have any damage to council property then it goes straight to the police and it’s up to the police how the deal with it.

‘If Craig had telephoned the clerk, told her what he wanted to do we would have said fine, go ahead, and made sure he had the correct paint. But no call was made.’

The graffiti follows reports of a spate of anti-social behaviour in the village including eggs thrown across a car bonnet.

In June, it was reported that youths wrecked £2,000 worth of work to repair a skate park.

They were filmed on CCTV breaking down fences designed to protect the park while it was resurfaced.