Graffiti gang leader who worked on EastEnders set jailed for two years

One of Britain's most prolific graffiti vandals, who was once paid to deface the Eastenders' set, was jailed for two years today.

Andrew Gillman, head of the DPM Crew, used a false name to dupe BBC1 bosses into giving him a job while on bail following a two-year international rampage costing 'millions' of pounds.

The casual work - two visits to Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire just before Christmas last year - came after producers decided his distinctive 'tags' would add a touch of authenticity to Albert Square.

By the time he finished 11 examples of his quick drying 'street art' - 'DPM', his own tag 'NEAS', and 'MOOD', a tribute or 'shout' to dead graffiti artist James Dutka - adorned some of the BBC soap's best-known landmarks.

They included the Queen Vic, Albert Square's street sign, Phil Mitchell's car lot and workshop, a stall outside Kathy's Cafe, Peter Beale's fish and chip shop, the Argee Bhajee Indian restaurant, and 'last but not least' the entrance to Walford East tube station.

London's Southwark Crown Court heard it was not until much later that Eastenders producers discovered 'Eddie Jones' was Gillman, the 'main mover and organiser' behind 120 night time attacks on Britain's stations, trains and railway rolling stock.

His gang was also responsible for a number of cross-Channel 'expeditions'.

Wherever they went they caused extensive damage, landed companies with 'massive' clean-up bills, and caused inconvenience to thousands of commuters as scores of carriages were taken out of service.

Judge Christopher Hardy said: 'I have seen some examples of your handiwork and they show considerable talent in the field known as graffiti sub-culture that is on its way to be recognised as a valid form of art.'

But the judge added, 'This was a wholesale self-indulgent campaign to damage property on an industrial scale.

'Over the whole period the figure of damages is likely to run into seven figures.'

Gillman, 25, of St John's Hill, Wandsworth Common, south-west London, and seven others admitted conspiracy to commit criminal damage between January 1, 2004, and June 28, 2006.

Albert Square: Eastenders producers paid 'Eddie Jones' to tag the set, unaware that his real identity was graffiti gang leader Andrew Gillman

Also in the dock were Matthew Tanti, 23 (12 months jail suspended for a year and a 200-hour unpaid work order); Slav Zinoviev, 25 (18 months jail); Ziggy Grudzinskas, 25, (18 months); Alex McClelland, 24 (nine months suspended for a year and 150-hour unpaid work order); Jack Binnie, 26 (12 months suspended for a year and a 200-hour unpaid work order); Paul Stewart, 26 (18 months jail), and Matthew Pease, 24 (15 months).

The sentences were greeted with tears and gasps from a packed public gallery. Then, as those given immediate jail sentences were led to the cells, there was a round of applause.

Earlier this year two other members of the gang were dealt with.

James Teasdale, 21, was conditionally discharged and ordered to pay £300 compensation after admitting a single of causing criminal damage to Merseyrail, while Mark Goss, 22, who pleaded guilty to a similar offence, was jailed for 10 months.

After the case Detective Superintendent Michael Field, of the British Transport Police, who led the 20-strong investigation team, said: 'These vandals thought they were untouchable.

'They would often be masked and conducted almost military style operations in the belief that nothing could be proved against them.

'This was major crime on a vast scale.

'Graffiti not only scars the railway environment, it contributes to the fear of crime and costs operators thousands of pounds in equipment downtime as well as cleaning. Those costs have to be born by someone, and that someone is ultimately the fare paying passenger.'