Bristol graffiti vandal jailed for a year
A GRAFFITI vandal responsible for an estimated £1 million of damage across the city is behind bars after he finally ran out of second chances.
Artist Daniel Tyndale, right, gained notoriety by spraying "tags" on buildings, cars and trains throughout Bristol.
The 26-year-old, of Dove Street in Kingsdown, has had repeated run-ins with the law over the last five years, and been given a number of chances to avoid serving time in prison for criminal damage.
Tyndale – also known as "Dotcom" after one of his tags – appeared to be cleaning up his act, selling his art through a dealer, and exhibiting his work in galleries across Bristol.
Described as "an exceptional talent" he was even offered a place at the prestigious Goldsmiths College School of Art, which has produced more than 20 Turner Prize nominees.
But yesterday his bad behaviour caught up with him, and he was jailed at Bristol Crown Court for 12 months.
He pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage, assaulting a policeman, possessing cannabis, failing to surrender to court and breaching an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO).
David Hunter, prosecuting, said Tyndale and three friends were seen "larking about" on a train from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads.
A witness saw Tyndale swigging a large bottle of lager, the court heard.
After he left the train at Bristol the defendant kicked a telephone box and swore at a bus driver before joining his group in pinning a man against the side of a bus shelter.
Tyndale was then seen using a yellow craft knife to scratch graffiti tags into the window of Escape Hair Salon in Victoria Street.
Mr Hunter said it was in February when police visited a Bristol address and Tyndale swore at a PC and pushed at his arm. Traces of cannabis were found in an ashtray.
The court heard magistrates found Tyndale guilty of assaulting a PC and criminal damage in his absence, as he got the date of the hearing wrong and failed to turn up. He pleaded guilty to breaching his ASBO and possessing cannabis.
Susan Cavender, defending, told the court: "He has a dreadful list of previous convictions which is all graffiti. He is a graffiti artist but he says things have changed in the last three to three-and-a-half years.
"He has started exhibiting in galleries all over Bristol and he has a dealer. He sells, buys canvas and paint and he paints from home."
Ms Cavender said such was her client's "exceptional talent" that Goldsmiths had offered him a place but he had been apprehensive about being able to get accommodation in the capital.
The court heard Tyndale had worked with the youth offending team in decorating the Bear Pit at St James Barton roundabout.
Judge Simon Darwall-Smith told him: "This was a catalogue of offences which bears a very strong resemblance to previous offences on your record and in direct conflict to the anti-social behaviour order. You have a history of not complying with court orders."
After admitting criminal damage in September 2007 Tyndale was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, as well as 300 hours of unpaid work.
Since then Tyndale has consistently failed to abide by the order and judges have given him everything from extra education and employment training to extra unpaid work.
In August 2008 Judge David Ticehurst remanded Tyndale in custody for a week in HMP Bristol while he decided what to do with him.
One option was to help paint the historic ss Great Britain as part of a probation placement.
When the judge had Tyndale brought back to court and asked him what prison had been like, Tyndale replied "terrible", adding that he would not like to go back.
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by John_Name
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 8:09PM
“Esse est percipi.”
by John_Name
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 8:08PM
“@Tea Splutterer
Fame is the spur, you think? Alright ...
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by ashleyvale
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 5:51PM
“Artist? I've made better art ******* in the snow.”
by shortie2377
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 5:23PM
“Your 26 years old. GROW UP”
by TeaSplutterer
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 4:49PM
“Ha! John - try writing it loads more times, maybe you'll start feeling really cool, cuz like famous people, they have their name written loads everywhere right?! Maybe you're not lifting your leg high enough... :)”
by John_Name
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 3:24PM
“I feel so empty now.”
by crazy_golfer
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 3:24PM
“PLEASE PLEASE BEP stop calling this graffiti - its not! It's TAGGING and is criminal, pathetic and useless - its the behaviour shown by a bored 12 yr old boy not a fully grown man. There is no 'art' involved from the examples pictured here.
LOVE GRAFFITI
HATE TAGGING..”
by TeaSplutterer
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 2:54PM
“Dotcom blags it yet again! They don't even mention that his other tag is SONY! All those people who have woken up to find SONY written in 4 year old scrawl on their windows, cars, church walls etc. won't even know that this is the loser who dedicated his life to causing them grief. Well that and stealing from independent shops and family businesses every day, it's a busy schedule being a celebrity artist.
What a talent.. the art world is in shock. Maybe we could start a charity to send him pens and soap on a rope. Poor lad, he probably needs a rest after all that petty thievery and vandalism. And to think he has even managed to aim stolen spray paint at stolen canvas on top of his full time stealing job. What a gifted individual, a blessing to us all.
I'm sure when he's out in 3 months time he'll be full of new ideas about how he can help the poor and needy. Maybe in the mean time his parents can pay for a homeless person to live rent free while he saves them the money. At least he's not in danger of thinking another picture in the local paper has made him more 'famous'. It was a bit embarrassing last time when he started confusing himself with Banksy. It's an easy mistake to make I guess - one's a talented successful artist, the other writes 'SONY' on bins.
I'm off to bid for a SONY bin on Ebay...you never know when a bin might come in handy, hey Daniel?”
by Morrissey9
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 2:53PM
“Shame, looks like he was turning his life around and actually doing "proper" art rather than spraying his name on bus shelters and assaulting people. Luckily once he is out of prison he can continue, it is not like an office job which a criminal record would be a big minus.”
by TeaSplutterer
Wednesday, January 11 2012, 2:52PM
“Dotco..”