Daubing Graffiti On A Wheelie Bin Lands Teenager In Court

DAUBING a wheelie bin with graffiti landed teenager Samuel Webber with a £100 court bill this week. And Webber was also ordered to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work, after admitting that he wrote on a bin in black marker pen. Appearing before city magistr

DAUBING a wheelie bin with graffiti landed teenager Samuel Webber with a £100 court bill this week.

And Webber was also ordered to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work, after admitting that he wrote on a bin in black marker pen.

Appearing before city magistrates on Thursday, 18-year-old Webber, of Walsingham Way, Ely, admitted causing £100 worth of criminal damage to a bin belonging to Veolia Environmental Services on October 31.

When arrested, Webber claimed that he was drunk at the time of the offence, and he had been stupid.

"He said he thought that writing on a bin was not as bad as writing on the Cathedral wall," said prosecutor Olivia Gooding. Asking for compensation, she added, "the cost of having the bin professionally cleaned would be £100."

Solicitor Gill McGivern said Webber was routinely stopped by police, and it was discovered that he had written on the bin.

He was asked to surrender himself to the police station a week later, when he admitted writing the word "Fusion" on the wheelie bin.

Webber had been released from detention in August, and in October was ordered to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work for an offence of assault, the court was told.

"This is not a particularly serious matter," said Ms McGivern. "I think the request for £100 compensation for cleaning is high, a J-cloth and some detergent would suffice."

The magistrates ordered Webber to pay a fine of £50, with £50 court costs. They revoked his current 40-hour unpaid work order, and replaced it with a 50-hour order.