Professor ‘etched polite graffiti’ on cars

A PROFESSOR appeared before a district judge yesterday charged with causing almost £18,000 worth of damage to luxury cars which had polite graffiti scratched on them.

Stephen Graham, who works at Newcastle University, did not enter pleas to four charges of criminal damage when he appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court.

The 47-year-old, from Lansdowne Gardens, Jesmond, is a specialist in cities and urban life.

The specimen charges relate to damage allegedly caused to 24 cars parked nearby.

The graffiti reportedly included the words “very silly”, “really wrong” and “arbitrary” and were thought to have been etched into the paintwork with a screwdriver.

The professor was granted bail and will appear before magistrates again on 14 November.