Four graffiti taggers have been handed suspended custodial sentences after causing £123,000 of damage to train and tram carriages in Manchester.

The gang carried out 125 attacks on rolling stock over a period of two-and-a-half years, often vaulting fences or using bolt-cutters to break into depots, the Manchester Evening News reports.

One incident saw the crew target a train in broad daylight, with passengers still on board when it stopped at a station.  

Maksym Tyshkul, 18, and Joshua Maguire, 20, both from Prestwich, were given ten-month suspended custodial sentences, while Jack Walsh, 19 of Hazel Grove, and Harvey Hatton, 21 of Stockport, got eight-month suspended sentences.

A fifth member of the gang - who couldn’t be identified due to their age (17) - was handed a 12-month youth rehabilitation order.

In addition, all were ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 towards prosecution costs.

All five had no previous convictions and claimed they didn’t know their actions were illegal at the time, a claim rejected by judge Mr Justice Hewnriques at Manchester Crown Court.

Most of the rolling stock targeted belonged to Virgin Trains, Network Rail, Northern Trains, TransPennine Express, Merseyrail and Metrolink.

Aside from causing unnecessary repair costs, the gang’s crimes intensified overcrowding when targeted carriages were taken out of service, the judge added.