No 'brains' behind tags sprayed across Wodonga, court told

Jacob Dean Lofthouse sprayed the tag "Brains" around town last year, causing police to launch an investigation on September 1.

Areas including Smythe, Lawrence and Williams streets were targeted with black spray paint.

Police released security camera images showing two people with their faces covered during the spree.

As part of their investigation, officers identified Lofthouse, who had been involved in similar offending when he was living in Melbourne.

A Wodonga home was searched on September 17 and a check of his bedroom was conducted.

Items found inside included two toy train carriages on a windowsill with the tag and "Brains" written on various other items, including a cupboard.

Stickers containing the word were also found at the home.

While he denied any wrongdoing, a check of Lofthouse's phone showed photographs of him spraying walls with the word.

His lawyer said it was ironic he had used the term "Brains", and said such tags essentially acted as a signature or admission that the offender had committed the crime.

Lofthouse, a former heroin addict, has multiple priors for graffiti offences from when he lived in Melbourne.

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He moved from the city after kicking his habit and has a job working at a North East pub.

The court heard the hotel worker relapsed into alcohol and painkiller use on the night of the offending before undertaking the behaviour with his mates.

His lawyer said it was a case of him falling back into his old habits for a short period.

Magistrate Ian Watkins told the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Tuesday the new offending involved multiple charges over a very short period of time, and told Lofthouse it was a period "where you hit a speed hump in your life".

"It's a bit unfortunate that you did that when you had a lot going for you,"he said.

"The community's absolutely sick of it.

"It gives a fairly negative perception of those places where graffiti is sprayed everywhere."

Mr Watkins said everyone hit speed humps in their life, and said drug addiction appeared to be a large part of Lofthouse's former offending.

The magistrate imposed an $850 fine with additional costs of $129.

Mr Watkins said each time Lofthouse made payments on the fine, it would be a reminder of the stupidity and silliness of his actions.

Police charged a second person last year over the spree.

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