A STUDENT who worked on a television campaign to clean up Kent has been jailed after admitting causing £45,000 of graffiti damage.

Mark Goss was jailed for 10 months for spray-painting trains at Dartford Railway Station over an 18 month period.

On March 2, Southwark Crown Court heard the 21-year-old, of Harland Avenue, Sidcup, damaged the trains and then displayed his handiwork on graffiti websites.

But Goss was also producing artwork to be used in a television campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour in Kent.

He was arrested by police on May 26 last year.

Catherine Milson, mitigating, said her client had taken part in spray-painting due to his arrogance and misplaced pride.

She said after he was approached by members of a well known graffiti gang on the strength of his artistic reputation, he had wanted to prove himself.

She said: "There is a certain amount of honour and pride at stake when you are asked to display your skills by those who indulge in this type of activity."

Prosecutor Sinead O'Rourke told the court the clean-up operation was expensive because rail companies were unable to simply paint over the damage.

She said: "Trains have to first be stripped of a paint layer and then have to be repainted.

"Each time they are stripped of paint, they become more exposed to the elements and their value then decreases."

Judge William Wood told Goss he had a promising future in art and design.

And looking at a set of photographs of the damage, he said: "I have seen less artistic graffiti and I have seen more artistic.

"I realise the effect of any prison sentence on your education and future career.

"But the least sentence I can pass is one of 10 months."

Goss had earlier pleaded guilty to £24,000 worth of criminal damage.

And he asked for a similar offence relating to £21,000 worth of damage to be taken into consideration.