Yorkshire graffiti gang trio are jailed

James Steward, 27, Jack Rodgers, 26, and Daniel Jay-Webster, 25, were caught when detectives swooped on a gang daubing graffiti on a train in Harrogate. It emerged the trio were part of a notorious graffiti crew called NKA which vandalised trains and property across England, continental Europe and further afield with tags of Ogre, Hack and TWOK.

Speaking after they were jailed for eight months at York Crown Court, PC Tony McGibbon, who investigated the case for British Transport Police (BTP), said: “These three vandals, as part of a prolific graffiti crew, are jointly responsible for around £250,000 of damage that was caused to trains and stations across the country between 2003 and 2009.

“They cared little for the impact their wanton destruction would have others and were only interested in enhancing and furthering their own reputations amongst the graffiti vandal fraternity”.

He added: “Some people argue that graffiti is art and not vandalism, but when the graffiti is written or sprayed, without permission, on private or public property then it loses any artistic credibility and becomes a criminal act.

“BTP takes graffiti extremely seriously and officers will use any tactics at their disposal to trace offenders and bring them to justice.

“The sentence handed out also clearly demonstrates that the wider criminal justice system recognises the damage caused by graffiti vandals and will bring strict sanctions to bear against anyone found guilty of the offences.”

Rodgers, of Bramble Grove, Pool-in-Wharfedale, near Otley, Steward, of Mitchell Close, Simpson Green, near Bradford, and Jay-Webster, of Stanningley Road, Armley, Leeds, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal damage.