A FATHER and son who went on a graffiti spraying spree in the Stourbridge area damaging cars, walls and fences have been locked up for a total of 32 months.

Judge Robin Onions at Wolverhampton Crown Court told Mark Bilsby, who has 122 previous crimes on his record, it was clear his achievement in life had been to provide an example for his son Scott Fletcher to follow.

He told 50-year-old Bilsby: "Your record is simply quite dreadful. You have been a regular and prolific offender for many years.”

The Judge said the pair had been out drinking and the probability was that they were “hopelessly” drunk when the spray can was used to cause damage as they went up and down Bell Street, Bowling Green Road and Park Road.

He added: "You committed these offences mainly against retired people and they were caused great offence and upset.”

The pair first sprayed abuse on a car belonging to a security officer who followed their trail of graffiti and when he approached them he was met with a hail of racial abuse.

Paul Reid, prosecuting, said Bilsby and Fletcher both became aggressive and the father then punched the officer on the side of his face before subjecting him to further racial abuse.

The two men were quickly arrested as police arrived on the scene and Fletcher became so violent he had to be restrained before being locked into a secure vehicle.

Fletcher then feigned illness, Mr Reid added, and when taken to hospital he continued his abusive behaviour towards everyone who approached him.

Mr Reid said one of the victims of their graffiti attack felt the behaviour was mindless while another elderly man complained they had shown a complete lack of respect for properties.

Bilsby, of Nagersfield Road, Hawbush, Brierley Hill, and 20-year-old Fletcher, of Junction Road, Stourbridge, both admitted 12 charges of criminal damage.

They also both admitted using racially aggravated behaviour to put the security officer in fear while Bilsby further pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault.

The Judge jailed Bilsby for 20 months while his son was sent to a Young Offenders Institution for a year.

He told Bilsby it was clear he “never stopped offending” and while the security officer was a hard working man who paid his taxes he was someone who had made no attempt to hide his racism.

Devon Small, defending Fletcher, whose five previous convictions included racially aggravated assault, said he had been extremely drunk on the night in question and alcohol was a major problem.

Amrisha Parathalingam, defending the father, told the court he had also been drinking heavily and accepted there was no excuse for his behaviour.