University professor scratched polite graffiti into cars using words such as 'very silly' in £18,000 vandalism spree

Stephen Graham pleads guilty to damaging four cars with polite phrases, including 'arbitrary and 'really wrong'



Newcastle University professor claims not to remember the vandalism



A university professor has admitted scratching bizarrely polite graffiti on luxury cars in a vandalism spree causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.



Stephen Graham, 47, used a screwdriver to scratch messages such as 'very silly', 'really wrong' and 'arbitrary' into the vehicles' paintwork in August last year.



He later claimed not to remember what he had done, and blamed his behaviour on a bad reaction to alcohol and prescription drugs.



Vandal: Professor Stephen Graham has admitted scratching politely worded graffiti into cars

'Wrong': This Nissan was one of four cars targeted by the polite graffiti artist last August in Jesmond, Newcastle

The academic, who is a specialist in urban life at Newcastle University, pleaded guilty to the vandalism today at Newcastle Crown Court.

He is now awaiting sentencing after admitting four charges of damaging cars.

Graham caused £18,000 worth of damage to expensive cars including a Mercedes, an Audi, a Volvo and a Mitsubishi.

Residents of Jesmond, an upmarket area of Newcastle, woke up one morning to find the inoffensive phrases scratched into their cars.



Bizarre: The unusual vandalism - including 'wrong' scratched on this vehicle - came after the academic had combined alcohol with prescription drugs

The professor, who lives near the street where the vandalism took place, was later arrested over the damage.

Julian Smith, defending, said: 'He has no recollection of the course of events that night,' ascribing Graham's actions to a mixture of alcohol, antibiotics and other medication.

The academic is a graduate of Southampton University who has previously held lecturing positions at the University of Durham and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.



He is now based at Newcastle University’s school of architecture, planning and landscape.



Judge James Gos said Graham would be sentenced around February 25.

Damage: Graham's vandalism is believed to have cost around £18,000 to repair

Messages: Rather than the usual swear words, Graham chose to scratch mild insults into the cars