Andrew John Harding faces Toowoomba Magistrates Court, pleads guilty to wilful damage, assault police officer

An apprentice barber was caught on CCTV tagging streets signs around the Toowoomba CBD, but a night on the town ended in a stay at the watch house.

A Toowoomba man’s big night out on the town has landed him a jail term for graffitiing street signs and damaging the back of a police van.

About 11.01pm on April 29 Toowoomba CBD City Safe CCTV cameras captured Andrew John Harding drinking a can of alcohol before attempting to gain entry to the Cube Hotel, the city’s magistrates court was told on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was refused entry and when police arrived he began to abuse them, calling them “dogs”.

Police prosector Rohan Brewster-Webb told the court Harding was placed in the back of a police vehicle, but as he was being put in he kicked out at the pod door, hitting an officer.

The court was told that while he was being transported to the watch house, Harding broke open a pink paint pen, spilling paint throughout the back of the vehicle.

As Harding was being processed, Mr Brewster-Webb said police recalled a number of other graffiti incidents throughout the city, with Harding caught on CCTV using the same pink pen to tag street signs.

In court on Monday Harding pleaded guilty three counts of commit public nuisance in vicinity of licensed premises, wilful damage of police property, two counts of wilful damage and possessing a graffiti instrument.

Mr MacDonald said his client had in the past struggled with methylamphetamine addiction but had been clean for two years. An apprentice barber, Mr MacDonald said his client’s actions were “alcohol fuelled offences”.

Acting magistrate Roger Stark jailed Harding for one month, with immediate parole, and ordered he complete 40 hours community service. He was also fined $137, and ordered to pay $660 restitution.