$25,000 graffiti spree

Ex-sign writer’s train tagging days over

A BANNOCKBURN man will have to repay more than $25,000 after his graffiti spree targeting trains and other public property was stopped by police.

Aidan Hynes, 25, who faced the Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday, pleaded guilty to causing more than $19,700 damage to V/Line trains and stations and 10 counts of damage.

Police prosecutor Kylie Jane told the court Hynes scrawled his tag “Regie”, the name of his graffiti crew or other seemingly random words at least 19 times in large writing on trains, freeway sound walls and private property.

Hynes’ spree between June 2014 and August last year also saw him spray graffiti on train stations in Maryborough, Geelong, Waurn Ponds and Warr- nambool. He also targeted the mobile restaurant The Q Train, which operates between Drysdale and Queenscliff.

The court was told Hynes’ decision to spray paint “the reginal” across a 2m by 12m area of a train in August last year cost V/Line more than $1200 to remove.

Leading Senior Constable Jane said a search of Hynes’ Bannockburn home on Octo- ber 14 last year found sketchbooks, a camera and hard drives with images matching tags found on trains and other public property.

The court heard Hynes also spray painted a brick fence outside a church in Manifold Heights.

Despite his actions Hynes, a former sign-writing apprentice, avoided jail yesterday and was placed on a 14-month com- munity corrections order.

Magistrate Peter Mellas said it was likely Haynes’ damage to trains caused services to be delayed or cancelled.

“Whatever your view of what you did, whether it is art or not, the rest of the community doesn’t have to put up with it,” Mr Mellas said. “Your behaviour has caused significant damage and delays.”

He ordered Hynes repay $19,727 to V/Line, $2595 to The Q Train, $2299 to VicRoads and $450 to Geelong council.

Hynes will also have to complete 200 hours of community work and undergo treatment for drug use as part of his punishment.

Defence lawyer Simon Northeast told the court the death of Hynes’ brother in 2015 led to a period of drug use.

“He is extremely remorseful,” Mr Northeast said. “His arrest led to the termination of his spray painting.”

“They just can’t accommodate that many people,” he said. “The council should be held to account.”Surf Coast Shire general manager of environment and development Ransce Salan said there had been an increase in parking infringements compared to the same time last year. “The most common offences are parking on yellow edge lines and contrary to parking control sign,” he said.Mr Salan said the festival had an approved management plan that adequately addressed parking requirements.“The event uses Spring Creek Reserve for event parking, with traffic management on the Great Ocean Road to help people get safely from the event parking to the market, with parking attendants raising money for the Torquay Rotary Club,” he said.“In addition, there is a substantial amount of on-street and off-street parking available within 1km of the event, including foreshore carparks.” TRAFFIC CHAOS: The Surf Coast Shire has issued thousands of dollars in fines to Nightjar Festival goers in Torquay for parking illegally.