‘Pink sock’ graffiti group sentenced for Byron Bay spraying spree

Three young men involved in a bizarre graffiti spree have been ordered to pay compensation and undertake community service for the damage they caused across the town.

Some of the tags left around Byron Bay by the group.​

Three men charged with spraying graffiti across private and public property in the Byron Bay area have been sentenced.

Ethan James Walsh, 20, Griffith Speed Bolt, 20 of Suffolk Park and Tobias McLean Kebbeh, 22 from Federal, have each been convicted of eight counts of intentionally mark premises without consent.

According to court documents, the trio were celebrating Kebbeh’s 22nd birthday when they visited numerous venues in Suffolk Park and Byron Bay on the night of October 7.

Bolt had detailed plans to “go out to Byron then go for a paint later” in an Instagram message to a friend.

Among the locations they targeted was the Byron Bay Library, next to the courthouse where they ultimately wound up.

They sprayed a profanity and “PS” on the library building and were captured on CCTV.

According to court documents, the library graffiti was also recorded in a photo found on Bolt’s mobile phone.

The group also marked a nearby roundabout, a phone box, residential bins, property at Byron Bay High School, a coffee van and Isuzu truck with tags, including more profanities and the words “pink sock”.

Walks and Bolt were initially found and arrested at a Suffolk Park address where police found pink and teal spray paint, a spray can silencer and other items.

Bolt and Kebbeh had last year pleaded guilty to eight counts each of intentionally marking premises without consent.

Walsh entered guilty pleas to the same charges when the matter returned to Byron Bay Local Court on Monday, and a hearing date when he had been expected to defend the allegations was vacated.

All three men were sentenced to two year community correction orders.

They were each ordered to undertake community service work and ordered to pay compensation to Byron Shire Council and a local resident, totalling about $770 each.

Kebbeh also pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a graffiti implement with intent; for this he was fined $500.