Jack Gibson-Burrell, a 21-year-old man, has been granted bail for the second time after a Melbourne Magistrates’ Court determined that strict conditions could mitigate his reoffending risk. The decision was announced today, allowing Gibson-Burrell to leave custody while he faces accusations of vandalising heritage-listed sites with his graffiti tag, “Pam the Bird”, across Melbourne.
Gibson-Burrell reportedly broke into various Victorian train stations, abseiled from buildings, and scaled historic sites to leave his cartoonish mark. He has also been charged with violent offences, including allegedly stabbing a man, assaulting a worker at Emporium Melbourne, stealing cars in Torquay, and raiding a Nandos restaurant in Footscray.
Denied bail earlier this year due to concerns over his potential for reoffending—spurred in part by his growing social media fame linked to the graffiti, including an Instagram following exceeding 70,000—his situation shifted with new evidence presented to the court. Magistrate Johanna Metcalf noted that Gibson-Burrell’s access to a stable home with his grandmother, employment, and a financial surety of $30,000 decreased the perceived risk.
Metcalf remarked, “I am persuaded the ground has shifted since his previous bail application,” suggesting that Gibson-Burrell’s time in custody had provided him insight into the seriousness of his circumstances. As conditions of his bail, Gibson-Burrell must abide by a curfew from 9 PM to 6 AM and is prohibited from contacting police witnesses or engaging in any further graffiti activity.
In addition to his current charges, Gibson-Burrell and a co-accused, 39-year-old Matthew Raoul White, are alleged to have trespassed at Flinders Street Station, where they climbed a ladder system allowing Gibson-Burrell to spray-paint “Pam the Bird” and the phrase “my clock” from a balcony onto a clock tower. The duo is also linked to other graffiti incidents across Melbourne, including high-profile locations like the heritage-listed Uncle Toby’s factory and Channel Nine’s Melbourne headquarters.
Police estimate the total damage from Gibson-Burrell’s actions could surpass $100,000. Both he and White are scheduled to return to court in June.