The gang also left its mark in Australia and Japan

Six "intelligent and well-educated" Australians have been jailed for causing damage put at £70,000 during a six-month graffiti spree in London.

The men targeted Tube and overground trains, Southwark Crown Court heard.

The graffiti artists, who all admitted criminal damage, were caught in Ilford, east London, by police officers who heard rattling cans and smelt paint.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Gledhill said it was "appalling" to see "talented" graffiti artists sitting in the dock.

Ringleader of the graffiti gang - called the AMF - Marcus Wisman, 22, was sentenced to 16 months for conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

'Talented artists'

Scott Mulhearn, 21, Adrian Hing, 22, Luke Vassell, 23, Jack Shumack, 24, and Alex Wisman, 24, were also jailed over the vandalism attacks between late summer and Boxing Day last year.

Mulhearn received 14 months imprisonment, Shumack and Hing were both sentenced to 12 months, Vassell received a 10-month sentence and Alex Wisman was jailed for eight months.

The court heard that each of the men has an interest in graphic art.

Marcus Wisman, Shumack, Hing and Vassell have all either worked as graphic designers or hope to train to do so.

Sentencing, Judge Gledhill said: "Each of you are intelligent well-educated young men, hard working and capable of holding down jobs.

"Each of you are talented artists, in terms of graffiti artists, so to have to see the six of you sitting in the dock of this court about to be sentenced is quite appalling."

All of the men will serve half their sentence on licence and will not face deportation.

British Transport Police detectives found photographic evidence that the gang had also left its mark in Australia and Japan.