I'm addicted to graffiti says repeat vandal

By Norrie Ross
From: Herald Sun August 18, 2010


A GRAFFITI vandal who defaced railway stations, trains, trams and public buildings during an eight-month crime spree is addicted to tagging, his lawyer claimed yesterday.


Booza, 23, was on bail, serving two suspended sentences and on a community-based order for previous graffiti attacks when he committed a further 26 tagging offences.

He is believed to be one of the most prolific illegal taggers in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, with a long history of graffiti crime.

Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard that between April and December last year Booza was caught tagging on CCTV, arrested and then released, only to repeat his crimes almost immediately.

His tags are "Booze", "Booza" and "Rzults".

Booza, of Beaumaris, nearly died in 2003 when he fell - it is suspected while train surfing - from the roof of a moving train at a rail crossing.

Booza is serving an eight-month jail term for aggravated burglary.


Defence lawyer Tim Gattuso told the court his client should not have to serve any more time in prison for his latest tagging and crime wave.

He said Booza had significant drug and alcohol problems and was hanging around with youths who were part of the graffiti subculture.

"It became a form of addiction to see his tags," Mr Gattuso said.

"Somehow he continued to get bail".

Booza has more than 90 convictions and has been given a string of suspended sentences, community-based orders and fines.

"It's not as if he has not been given opportunities," magistrate Lionel Winton-Smith said. "He's been found on the spot. He's been interviewed by police. He's been released. He has reoffended."

Booza admitted 42 charges, and as well as the graffiti offences he committed assaults, burglaries, thefts and other public transport offences. In one burglary on a Brighton home he stole more than $8000 of property that was not recovered.

Mr Winton-Smith will sentence Booza next week.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said he could not comment on the Booza case but it was time the courts got tough on graffiti vandals.

"We should throw the book at them," Mr Doyle said.

"They are self-indulgent, narcissistic blockheads and they destroy the beauty of our city. I'd like to see an example made of a convicted graffiti vandal.

"Whenever these buffoons are caught it's never their first offence. They are recidivist vandals and their crimes should be treated as such."

Mr Doyle said the city spent $700,000 a year cleaning tags from city buildings.

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