Council to sue graffiti vandals

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7019431.stm

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Vandals are to be sued to recoup the cost of clearing up the damage they cause, a local authority has said.

The action is being brought by Swindon Borough Council, thought to be the first UK town hall to take such steps.

Each year the authority says it spends £250,000 clearing up graffiti at a time when budgets are under pressure.

The council's leader, Rhoderick Bluh, told the BBC: "It's about sending out the message that we're onto you and we're going to pursue you."

He added: "There's a huge amount of anger in this town, as there is in most towns around the country, that this sort of action goes on and blights communities."

Mr Bluh said that the authority accepts that it will not be able to sue everyone, nor recover all its expenditure.

But he hoped suing some vandals will act as a deterrent to others thinking of picking up a spray can.