Acton Town Graffiti Vandal Jailed

Four year spree targeting and tagging trains

A man who carried out a spree of graffiti attacks on trains throughout the country (including Acton Town), has been jailed for a total of 27 months.

Tomasz Haluszczak, 26, of Hook Road, Epsom, Surrey was jailed at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday, 4 July, after a jury unanimously convicted him of 14 counts of causing criminal damage by means of graffiti.

The court heard Haluszczak targeted trains using the tags ‘RICO’, ‘OCIR’, and ‘COIR’.

During a spree which lasted more than four years, Haluszczak caused damage worth a total of £60,000 across the rail network.

He was arrested on 6 September, 2011, when two members of security staff spotted him near a train yard perimeter fence at Epsom rail station, in Wheelers Lane. Police attended and found Haluszczak emerging from bushes. He was arrested after a search of his backpack revealed tins of spray paint.

Officers searched his home and seized a plethora of graffiti paraphernalia, including cans of spray paint, ink markers and high-visibility jackets.

Other offences took place at locations including Acton Town (in 2010 and 2011) as well as Coventry, Chessington South, Horsham and Cannon Street stations.

He was sentenced to 27 months in custody for each count, to run concurrently.

Judge Daniel Worsley told Haluszczak: “You have shown no remorse, it was self-indulgent and you have caused huge disruption.

“It was deliberate and well-planned, it was an anarchic attack on the community and you have lied and kept on lying in the face of overwhelming evidence.”

Detective Sergeant Paddy Kerr said: “Haluszczak has been a prolific vandal over a number of years and the court imposed a substantial custodial sentence on a man who has consistently shown no regard for the law, for private property, or for those who ultimately have to pay for the cost of cleaning up his graffiti.

“Vandals like Haluszczak cause huge disruption to passengers and train companies with the damage they cause and we will always seek to prosecute anyone who commits such crime. This sentence should act as a deterrent to anyone thinking about copying his actions.

"Graffiti vandals who go near tracks also put themselves at serious risk of harm as they don’t know if a train is coming or if tracks are live – it’s an incredibly selfish risk to take.”

July 10th 2013