A TEENAGER whose graffiti attacks were branded a blight on Plymouth has been handed a five-year antisocial behaviour order (Asbo).

Callum Mead, aged 18, was given a suspended prison sentence for spraying his name or tag in 39 places around the city and Callington.

Plymouth magistrates were told that graffiti was on the increase in the city and was costing the council more than £100,000 to clean up.

The court heard Mead painted 'Sour' and 'DSK' on houses, vans, walls, fences and lampposts in areas including St Judes, Mutley and Lipson.

His mess cost an estimated £2,420 to clean up but the unemployed youngster who lives with his mother was not ordered to pay any compensation.

Mead admitted three charges of criminal damage to walls in St Judes overnight on May 6/7.

He asked for another 36 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

The court heard he was reprimanded for 16 offences of criminal damage in 2007.

Magistrates have now given him an eight-week detention sentence suspended for 12 months on condition he does 180 hours of unpaid work.

The bench ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs but said compensation would have to be handled by the civil courts.

Presiding magistrate Helen Harris said: "You have been making lives a misery. You have blighted too much of this city and your home town for too long."

He was also handed a five-year antisocial behaviour order banning him from having 'unset paint', or spray paint, and permanent marker pens.

Mead was told breaching the order could see him sent into custody.

Elaine Keen, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said graffiti attacks were reported in St Judes on May 6 and May 7.

She said police issued a newspaper appeal for information and received intelligence linking Mead to the tags of 'Sour' and 'DSK'.

Mrs Keen said they found pictures of the tags and designs for the graffiti in Mead's bedroom.

She added he not only admitted the offences but was driven around by police in Plymouth and identified where he had scrawled on council and private property.

Mead. of Old Bakehouse Lane, Callington, did not oppose the police application for the order, adding: 'I am sorry for what I did. I realise how serious it is. I did not realise at the time how stupid it was."

He told the court he would not be writing graffiti again.

The court heard a statement from Plymouth City Council cleaning supervisor Warren Bowden.

He said it cost the authority more than £100,000 a year to clean up, with the clean-up team costing £61 every hour.

Mr Bowden said: "We have seen a huge increase in graffiti. Many residents are constantly having their property repainted or resprayed.

"Most people think that an area covered in graffiti is rough or crime-ridden, even if it is not true."

One of Mead's victims, who wanted to remain anonymous, said after the case: "I was really upset to find the graffiti on the side wall of my house. It looks awful and despite using a graffiti cleaning kit, I have been unable to get rid of it. I am currently trying to sell my house and a tag on the wall isn't helping."