Accused ‘Pam the Bird’ graffiti artist will continue to cause ‘chaos’ if bailed, court has heard
The man accused of being behind the infamous ‘Pam the Bird’ graffiti is becoming increasingly violent and will continue to cause “chaos” across Melbourne if he’s not held in custody, a court has heard.
Victoria
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The alleged culprit behind infamous Pam the Bird graffiti is increasingly violent and suspected of stabbing an associate, a court has heard.
Jack Gibson-Burrell, 21, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged over dozens of graffiti tags on Melbourne landmarks including the heritage-listed Flinders Street station clock, the “Cheese Stick” above CityLink and Novotel at South Wharf.
Seated beside his co-accused Matthew Raoul White, 39, he beamed into court via video link from custody as the pair continued their bail application which began on Friday.
Opposing bail, Senior Constable Scott Nicholls said Gibson-Burrell, from Yarraville, was a prolific graffiti artist who would continue to plaster the cartoon bird on trains and hard-to-reach buildings across the city if released.
“He simply does not care,” he told the court.
“If he is let out of custody, police believe that the clock mentally resets for him, and he will simply start the vicious cycle of offending again.
“(Bail) conditions do not work for the accused. He has to be held in custody to prevent him from causing chaos.”
He said Gibson-Burrell was increasingly violent, having resisted arrest and assaulted Metro staff and security guards who tried to stop him from vandalising.
The court heard he was also suspected of stabbing an associate in West Footscray last month, with his alleged victim pleading “you’re going to kill me” before he lost consciousness.
Constable Nicholls said no charges had been laid and the matter was still being investigated.
Gibson-Burrell allegedly sought revenge against those who had wronged him, such as Metro staff, by slashing their tyres and tagging Pam on a vehicle beside the words “f--k you”.
He is also accused of ramming a stolen Volkswagen into a Nando’s restaurant in Footscray with the text “we don’t accept cash here” and “Nando dogs” sprayed on the side.
Constable Nicholls described Gibson-Burrell, who is unemployed, as a “bit of a loner” and someone who only associated with graffiti artists he thought were on “his level”.
He said police believed the hundreds of Pam tags across the city were solely the work of Gibson-Burrell and not copycats.
“The average joe does not climb a building 100 metres in the air to commit graffiti at night,” he said.
The court heard the damage bill from the vandalism was $130,568 but could exceed $200,000.
The most recent Pam appeared on Novotel in South Wharf on January 20 after Gibson-Burrell allegedly gained access to the hotel by prying open an emergency exit with a wire tool.
He allegedly climbed the 27-storey building before abseiling off the side to paint a black Pam with the text “He He Meow”.
Gibson-Burrell is facing 59 charges including criminal damage, burglary, assault and theft.
Mr White, who owns Bodega Paint Shop in Abbotsford, is facing 17 charges including criminal damage and theft.
Police allege his tag ‘SROCK’ was painted on trains and city buildings, often beside Pam the Bird.
The court heard the men were tracked by undercover police before they were arrested last week.
Prosecutor Jordan Vassis said Gibson-Burrell was “clearly motivated by public fame”, which was evident from his more than 75,000 Instagram followers.
In his submissions, lawyer Jonathan Miller, for Gibson-Burrell, said his client would contest his charges and would live with grandmother in Geelong if bailed.
The pair were supported by people in court and online.
“Free my guy,” one person wrote in the court’s public chat.
Magistrate Johanna Metcalf will hand down her decision Wednesday.
Originally published as Accused ‘Pam the Bird’ graffiti artist will continue to cause ‘chaos’ if bailed, court has heard
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