By The Associated Press

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013, 9:30 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

LONDON — A British professor who specializes in cities and urban life has been convicted of damaging luxury cars with graffiti that was unusually polite.

Stephen Graham was found guilty on Friday of using a screwdriver to scrawl inoffensive words such as “very silly,” “really wrong” and “arbitrary” into the paintwork of vehicles including a Mercedes, an Audi and a Volvo.

Prosecutors said the spree caused $29,000 in damage.

Graham's lawyer said the 47-year-old who teaches at Newcastle University had no recollection of his August vandalism spree. Graham previously blamed a bad reaction to alcohol, antibiotics and prescription drugs for his behavior.

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