Teachers in search for graffiti vandals

A HEADTEACHER at a Suffolk high school is enlisting the help of her staff in a bid to catch vandals who scrawled homophobic and offensive graffiti on walls and windows.

East Bergholt High School, in Heath Road, East Bergholt, was targeted at some time between noon on Sunday December 31 and 2pm on Monday January 1.

Several walls and windows were sprayed with obscene phrases and “tags” in various colours of paint.

Vile slogans were also daubed on the school minibus.

Moira Humphreys, head at East Bergholt High School, said she had spoken to staff about listening out for possible information on the crime.

Ms Humphreys said: “Fortunately it is something that is a rare occurrence at this school but it is a big disappointment to start the New Year like this.

“Some of the graffiti itself was very unpleasant, for example there were some homophobic comments.

“Obviously the youngsters have returned to school today and I have talked to staff who will be keeping their eyes and ears open.

“If it were a youngster at the school who did this we will act in accordance with the school's code of behaviour.”

A police spokeswoman said there were similarities between the recent graffiti at the school and a vandalism attack in 2002 when permanent marker was used around 30 times on panels and panes of glass around the school.

The current bout of graffiti included the tags “Capel St Mary massive” and “Mars 2006”.

The spokeswoman said the tag Mars was reported as being present at the 2002 graffiti incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Matthew Paisley at Capel St Mary Police Station on 01473 613500 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

n. Is the area where you live plagued by graffiti? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

Weblink:

www.suffolk.police.uk

www.eastbergholthigh.suffolk.sch.uk