Man who painted over obscene graffiti in kids’ skatepark gets police caution and bill for nearly £300 for using wrong paint
Craig Hunt hid crude images on a slide with black emulsion and then got done by the council
A MAN who covered up graffiti was cautioned by police and billed — for lacking permission and using the wrong paint.
Craig Hunt, 57, hid crude images on a park slide with black emulsion.
But cops cautioned him for criminal damage and gave him a £277.50 council repair bill.
The ex-bank worker, of Studley, Warks, said: "When I got the knock on my door I thought it was a police officer to see me about a break-in at my 94-year-old mother's home.
"When he told me I was the one in the wrong because I'd painted over the graffiti at the park I was gobsmacked. It's totally illogical.
"The graffiti was disgusting, certainly not what you'd want your children to see, and had been there for three weeks.
"I've done the parish council a favour and they've sent me a bill for it.
"They said I didn't use anti-slip paint, which is true, but the surface of the park is worn smooth, so the paint I used is grippier than what is there."
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But Cllr Paul Beaman said: "The parish clerk is under strict instructions if we have any damage to council property then it goes straight to the police and it's up to the police how the deal with it.
"If Craig had telephoned the clerk, told her what he wanted to do we would have said fine, go ahead, and made sure he had the correct paint.
"But no call was made."