A SHERIFF branded a graffiti artist "talented" before sentencing him to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work.

Ryan Gilhooly, 17, was handed the community payback order 
after pleading guilty to a string of graffiti charges between 
February and June last year.

He "tagged" trains, a junction box at 
Glasgow's Garscadden train station, as well as a train station building and platform furniture, with spray paint.

The teenage artist from Knightswood, Glasgow, also wrote on various trains using permanent markers racking up a total of £2400 damage.

He admitted six charges of "wilfully or recklessly destroying or damaging the property belonging to another", and a breach of bail for being in Glasgow Central Station after being barred from the city 
rail hub.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday Gilhooly's lawyer Martin McInnes said: "He does seem to have some talent."

Sheriff Margaret Liddell said: "Well yes, that's the thing. These are serious charges, he does show a talent."

Mr McInnes told the court: "We are essentially talking about what are termed 'tags', I use the term loosely.

"Persons such as my client who have artistic flare will use certain symbols and artwork to leave their mark on public buildings or in this case trains. It's not political or offensive."

He added: "It's not the type of graffiti that's done by football supporting people."

Procurator fiscal depute Lauren McRobert told the court Gilhooly used the tags "SGV" and "venom".

The court was told Gilhooly planned to join a college course and already carries out volunteer work.