A UNIVERSITY professor with a hatred of 4x4 motors went on a half-naked car wrecking rampage after downing gin.
Stephen Graham, who was dressed in just underpants and a dress jacket, scratched polite graffiti into a total of 27 motors around his plush neighbourhood in Jesmond, Newcastle.
Newcastle Crown Court heard a total of £28,586 of damage was caused by the 47-year-old lecturer.
Prosecutor Stuart Michie told the court: “They all had similar words such as arbitrary, wrong and silly scratched onto them.
“The defendant said he had a vague memory of walking down the street in a dream-like state and damaging one or two cars by scratching words.
“He said he took a screw driver from the kitchen.
“He said he had a problem with 4x4 vehicles, he thinks they are too large for a town.”
The court heard a total of 10 of the cars damaged were 4x4s, but the first vehicle targeted was a small Audi.
Mr Michie said Graham was “very remorseful and apologetic” during police interview, and admitted he had downed three-quarters of a bottle of gin as well as antibiotic and anti-depressant medication.
Judge Guy Whiturn QC said: “He was not wearing trousers, only underpants. He was bare chested under his dress jacket.
“He said he had drank a considerable amount of drink, a considerable amount.”
Graham, of Lansdowne Gardens, Jesmond, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to four charges of damaging property at an earlier hearing.
The four charges relate to a Volvo, an Audi, a Mercedes and a Mitsubishi.
He asked for 23 similar offences to be taken into consideration.
Judge Whitburn sentenced Graham to nine months imprisonment, suspended for a year, and said he must pay £28,000 compensation.
The judge said he accepted the behaviour was completely out of character.