Jarrad Harland fronts court on charges alleging he is the man behind the moniker ‘Gong’
Police are developing the case against the man they allege is the infamous and elusive Sydney graffiti artist ‘Gong’, charging him with a raft of offences across the city after an 18-month manhunt to nail down the man behind the moniker.
Wentworth Courier
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The man accused of being one of Sydney’s most infamous graffiti artists is facing more charges relating to his alleged citywide tagging spree.
Jarrad Harland, 25, who police allege is the notorious “Gong”, was charged with a raft of offences dating back to early 2018 accusing him risking death to tag up some of the tallest buildings in the Harbour City.
Arrested on September 26, documents tendered to court reveal some of the most high-profile buildings in Sydney fell foul of Gong, including Westfields in Bondi Junction and Miranda as well as The Sydney Dental Hospital in Surry Hills, the Eastern Distributor, and a brazen set of tags at Quest Mascot.
The offences range from break and enters to property damage in the suburbs of St Peters, Petersham, Vaucluse and Lidcombe, where a train was allegedly tagged.
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Police have this week charged Harland with two more offences of breaking in and damaging a wall at the Sydney Dental Hospital for a second time and damaging a wall on South Dowling St, Paddington, in February.
Revered as an urban legend in some corners of the internet, the graffiti artist known as Gong had eluded police for some time while a legion of online fans praised his death-defying efforts.
It is believed the first break in the case for Surry Hills detectives came earlier this year, when Gong was allegedly caught in the act above a sign on the Eastern Distributor entrance.
Harland, from Caringbah, appeared in the Downing Centre Local Court this morning supported by his family as his lawyer told Deputy Registrar Nicole Hoffman more time would be needed before Harland would enter a plea.
“There are a lot of issues with the facts that police need to fix, the officer in charge is happy to fix them but he is on leave at the moment,” Maxine Malaney of Streeton Lawyers said.
Harland will remain on bail until his next court appearance later this year.
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