Published on the This Is Brighton and Hove site at http://www.thisisbrighton.co.uk/

The graffiti vandal police christened the Bouncing Doughnut has been fined £500. Richard William Jay, 35, of Holland Road, Hove, pleaded guilty to criminal damage when he appeared before the city's magistrates. Senior police today said: "This should send a message to anyone who puts up graffiti and damages the fabric of this city." Police said information leading to Jay's conviction came as a direct result of appeals in The Argus. Jay was convicted of spray painting his bouncing doughnut tag on a wall in Lansdowne Street, Hove, on April 12. In addition to the fine he was ordered to pay £55 court costs.

Tony Mernagh, of the Brighton City Centre Business Forum, which offered a £500 reward to catch the culprit, said he was considering launching civil action against Jay to recover costs of cleaning up graffiti. He said paint vandals cost the city tens of thousands of pounds. Mr Mernagh said he was pleased with the fine but would have preferred to have seen Jay jailed. He praised the Argus for helping trace Jay. Police released a photograph taken by a hidden camera of Jay in action, paint can in hand.

Chief Inspector Stuart Harrison of Hove police, said: "The fine is excellent news which I hope will act as a deterrent. "We will not tolerate graffiti and we are actively seeking out and will prosecute anyone who puts up tags in this city." Superintendent Andy Bliss, Brighton police commander, yesterday helped capture two women with spray cans and stencils and police have released photographs of a vandal who uses a "NUT NUT" tag in the hope of tracing him.

Superintendent Graham Cox, Hove police commander, said: "I totally disagree with the idea these people are artists. "Graffiti sends out the message the authorities have lost control in an area, it leads to other crime and means our council tax is being spent on cleaning it up rather than on schools and services."