It’s been reported Danny Whiskin, a 33-year-old man from Dartford, has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay compensation after spray painting 38 postboxes in the Kent town between 31 January and 9 March.
In this unusual case that highlights an intersection of art, public property, and personal circumstances a man who spray painted post boxes in Dartford pleaded guilty to all charges at Medway Magistrates’ Court.
The appearance of gold painted postboxes across Dartford began in February but Whiskin’s legal troubles started when he was initially arrested on 13 February. He was later rearrested on 9 March following another spray painting incident.
In his defence it’s reported Whiskin’s lawyer, Helgaardt Strydom, described his client’s situation as “sad,” emphasizing that he only saw his children through mail. This arrangement made life quite bleak for him.
In their investigation, Kent Police discovered 29 spray cans at Whiskin’s home, including 11 cans of gold paint. Additionally, they found receipts totalling £169 worth of spray paint. The impact of Whiskin’s actions extended beyond aesthetics with Royal Mail estimating that it would cost £150 to refurbish each postbox, and the company expressed concern that the repainting could potentially damage parcels and letters inside, affecting their reputation.
Whiskin’s sentence also includes community service and compensation to Royal Mail.