'Portfolio of Work to be Proud of'

When I was first elected in 2006, the big issue of the day in Shoebury which dominated my mailbox was the high levels of Graffiti which blighted many streets, buildings and street furniture.

So bad was the issue that a big clear-up operation was undertaken, a multi-agency task force set up to try and curb the problem and me and my colleagues in West Shoebury even produced and delivered a whole newsletter dedicated to the topic.

Thankfully those days are behind us and on the whole, Shoeburynes remains graffiti free although I remain vigilant and report new occurrences as soon as I spot them or residents inform me.

Graffiti costs council and industry a colossal amount every year and I feel that by calling it graffiti actually trivialises what is actually criminal damage.

I was stunned to read yesterday that three vandals who caused £150,000 damage to trains during a three-year spree, were told by Judge Henry Blacksell that they should be proud of their work.

Sentencing the trio to a minimum prison term, the judge said: "I will pass the least possible sentence. These are young men and people care about them. I don't endorse it but I understand the adrenaline rush and the feeling it gives them and they may be isolated in their families.

"I don't want to be doing this and I will be as lenient as I can be. They've got talent and some of Mr Rowe's portfolio you would be proud of. Clearly they are talented artists. What message does this send out. Still, I suppose it isn't as bad as Judge Peter Bowers who told a burglar his crime must have taken "a huge amount of courage"!