A graffiti artist who plagued his town with ugly signatures and tags has been banned from carrying paint and marker pens in the street.

Matthew Bunker, 20, of Sandy Lane, Framfield, near Uckfield, was yesterday handed the town's first anti-social behaviour order for daubing walls, doors and bins with his distinctive graffiti.

Under the terms of the order, Bunker cannot carry any unset paint, marker pens, shoe dye, permanent ink, grinding stones, glass cutting equipment, glass etching solution or paste and cannot be anywhere in England or Wales with someone attempting to commit criminal damage.

Bunker appeared before Lewes Magistrates' Court for sentence yesterday after previously admitting two charges of criminal damage and asking for 11 others to be taken into account.

Chairwoman Virginia Childs said: "You have behaved in an anti-social manner and an order is necessary for the protection of the people of Uckfield.

"Harassment, alarm and distress has been caused by the criminal damage we have seen photos of."

Bunker was ordered to carry out 100 hours community service over a 12 month period. This was reduced from 150 hours because of his early guilty plea.

The court was asked to consider compensation requests totalling more than £4,000 but magistrates finally agreed Bunker should repay £260 to be shared among the people and companies whose property he damaged because of his low income.

Justin Rivett, defending, said: "He has expressed a frustration about a number of aspects of society and buildings and how they look. He says his acts are done not as an act of vandalism but more to brighten up some very drab walls and doors."

He said Bunker, who lives with his family, had not defaced domestic properties or buildings of high architectural value and had expressed remorse for his actions.

He said Bunker, who is on Job Seekers' Allowance, was attending a three month Prince's Trust Course carrying out voluntary work and was involved in the Young Ones youth project in Uckfield to promote events, concerts and artwork.

Bunker wore a navy sweatshirt, black jeans and trainers to the hearing and looked at the floor while magistrates read out his sentence.