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Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul is standing by her decision to write a letter of support for prolific graffiti artist Karl Truell [...]
The 37-year-old, who had faced multiple charges of intentionally damaging property, was sentenced in Auckland District Court to 18 months of intensive supervision and 100 hours of community work, as well as paying $2000 in reparations to the NZ Transport Agency and Bunnings.During Truell’s court appearance a letter of support for him written by Paul was given to Judge Kirsten Lummis, who ultimately disregarded it. [...]
In 2022, a documentary on Truell’s tagging was released online. It showed a man now known to be Truell – his identity was obscured during the film – in Wellington committing acts of vandalism, shoplifting, hiding from his pursuers and telling viewers he has no plans to stop his illegal acts. [...]
Wellington City Council, of which Paul was a councillor at the time, described the film as “nauseating” and a spokesman estimated the clean-up cost could stretch into “seven figures”, noting that the overwhelming amount of the vandalism was done on private property or property belonging to other entities such as NZTA. [...]
Paul said she intended to write to Judge Lummis to ask why her letter was disregarded.
NZ Herald
