Vandal who covered Aberdeen railway station in graffiti gets 50 days in jail

A vandal who spray-painted bizarre slogans all over Aberdeen Railway Station in broad daylight and in front of staff has been jailed for 50 days.

Sean Carbo scrawled “wap”, “acid” and “Pussy Riot” and “Jagermeister made me do it” in silver paint on the floor of the main concourse as well as a gate, a doorway, a bollard and a wall.

The 31-year-old then turned his attention to a British Transport Police vehicle in the car park, covering the windscreen in paint.

Rather than flee the scene, he then sat down in the station and was found by police officers with paint all over his hands.

‘Jagermeister made me do it’

Carbo then told officers he’d damaged the police car because he was “in love” with his neighbour, who he said was a policeman.

Fiscal depute Carol Gammie told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Carbo entered the station at 12.40pm on Sunday August 8 and began spraying silver paint across the main concourse floor, glass partitions and doors leading to Union Square, and a British Transport Police marked car.

People working at the station witnessed the bizarre behaviour and contacted police.

When they arrived at the scene Carbo told them: “I vandalised the police car because I am in love with my neighbour who is a policeman.

“I wanted to attract the attention of the police.”

On being cautioned and charged, he replied: “I am in love.”

Carbo pled guilty to two charges of malicious mischief the following day and has been remanded in custody ever since.

‘I wanted to attract the attention of police’

During the appearance earlier this month defence agent Mike Munro said Carbo suffered from “serious mental health issues” and asked for sentence to be deferred for reports.

However today, the solicitor said he was “surprised” and “disappointed” by the lack of any mention of psychiatric support in those reports.

He said Carbo was a “stranger” to Aberdeen and expressed some concern over the “inconsistencies” in his explanations given after his arrest.

“I was very concerned as to the well-being of this person,” Mr Munro added. “I had difficulty trying to comprehend why he would behave in this erratic way and in front of members of the public who were in the station that Sunday afternoon.”

He added that Carbo had “little recollection of anything that had happened” and said he didn’t believe this was down to alcohol consumption.

Confusion over events

Carbo told his solicitor that he was a multinational who lived a “nomadic” lifestyle across Europe and had spent time in mental health institutions and prison in Switzerland. Mr Munro said none of that could be confirmed.

“He says that what he said to the police was true,” Mr Munro added. “When I asked him how long he had been in Aberdeen he said he had been here for a number of weeks.

“But the impression you may get from the reports is that he had just come off a train from London that morning.”

Sheriff David Clapham said this sort of offence “would not have resulted in a custodial sentence” but in this case, there was “no realistic alternative”.

He jailed Carbo, who has already served the equivalent of 44 days in prison, for 50 days which will be backdated to when he was first remanded.

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