City gets tough on graffiti taggers

LONDON, Ontario, July 15 (UPI) -- A Canadian justice of the peace has ordered a suspected obsessive graffiti artist to stay out of the city of London, Ontario, unless he's with his mother.

Jonathan Chapman, 28, was arrested for tagging a building with the word "Oscar" in May. Last Thursday, as part of London's clampdown on graffiti, he was arrested again and charged with 14 more counts after more Oscars were found, the London Free Press reported.

Monday, a justice of the peace released him on $1,500 bail, along with rigid conditions, the newspaper said. He is only allowed to enter the city from his home in nearby Exeter accompanied by his mother. She must be there to take him to his London job and bring him home and accompany him on court dates, the justice said.

Chapman was also banned from possessing any spray paint cans, paint or markers that are used in graffiti, the justice said.

Graffiti aside, Chapman is also facing impaired driving and drug charges, the newspaper said.

Police said they also arrested three other people in the graffiti sweep last week.