A YOUTH who scrawled graffiti across Wimborne the weekend before Britain in Bloom judges came for an inspection has been ordered to pay compensation.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted criminal damage by tagging the words "Gizmo" and "Eco" on play equipment and a scout hut and asked for a further 11 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Tessa Cordy, prosecuting, said: "Between June 25 and August 9, Wimborne suffered a spate of graffiti, mainly from a large industrial marker pen being used at about 20 locations in the town, defacing public and private buildings, street furniture, school artwork and public toilets."

She added that when police officers searched the teenager's bedroom, they found marker pens and took down details from graffiti on his door frame.

The youth admitted writing graffiti and told police in interview: "It seemed like a laugh at the time, but I wish I hadn't done it."

The graffiti caused an estimated £1,000 of damage, but Robert Renshaw, defending, said his client was part of a larger gang and not responsible for all of it.

The teenager also wrote a letter of apology to the district judge, who ordered him to pay £250 compensation and complete a five-month referral order, in which a panel of youth workers and members of the community will decide how best he can make amends.

After the case, Wimborne in Bloom chairman Anthony Oliver said the graffiti had taken place just before Britain in Bloom judges arrived to inspect the town.

"The previous weekend, we discovered to our horror all this graffiti right across the places we were to go on the judging route," he said.

"It was heartbreaking."

Wimborne in Bloom members and council staff worked frantically to remove the damage before the judges arrived, but could not get it all off.

Although Wimborne in Bloom has just won an award for the regional champion of champions category, Mr Oliver is concerned this could have affected their hopes for Britain in Bloom. He added that the scout hut was worst hit, and the youth should be made to clean it off himself.

Mike Downton, assistant leader of the First Wimborne Scout Group, said: "There was just graffiti all over the front, walls, shutters and doors. Part of me says he should be made to clean it off, but then, is he just going to do it again?"

First published: Sept 18