Judge on Starbucks tagger: ‘I wouldn’t like to graffitify his record’
Gareth Merrin, aged 25, from Kimmage Rd West, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Starbucks on Lower Liffey St on December 4 last.
At Dublin District Court, Judge Anthony Halpin heard that Merrin was seen by gardaí spraying graffiti on the cafe’s shutters which cost €150 to clean.
The judge noted that the defendant, who had no prior criminal convictions, was co-operative.
“I take it it was not a work of art,” queried the judge.
“No, it was tagging,” said the court Garda sergeant.
“I think he has to go back to college, that is not even artistic, it does not have any intellectual merit,” said the judge on hearing that Merrin worked as a graphic designer.
Pleading for leniency, Derek Burke, defending, told the court his client had been at an exhibition earlier and had brought his equipment with him.
The court heard Merrin then went to a nightclub and consumed too much alcohol.
Mr Burke said Merrin is “absolutely mortified” and the following day he went to the Starbucks to tell the supervisor there he would pay for the damage. However, gardaí told him he could not consult with Starbucks.
Judge Halpin noted that Merrin had brought €150 to court and he ordered it be paid over as compensation. Sparing Merrin a conviction, the judge struck out the case saying: “I wouldn’t like to graffitify his unblemished record.”
