TWO MACCLESFIELD graffiti artists jailed for spray-painting railway property have been freed after their sentences were quashed by the Court of Appeal.

After a “life changing” 62 days behind bars, Thomas ‘TJ’ Dolan, 20, of Leek Road, and Thomas Whittaker, 18, of Brocklehurst Avenue, have expressed remorse for their actions and extreme relief at the decision to overturn the sentence.

Dolan was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Whittaker jailed for one year, after admitting causing £13,000 worth of damage across the North West.

Speaking  to the Express the day after he was freed, TJ said: “It is surreal being back at home.

“The whole thing has been surreal, I still can’t believe we went to prison. It just didn’t seem real when they read out the sentence. It was awful to hear gasps from our families.

“Everybody makes mistakes, and I didn’t think of the effect it would have on everyone – my family, my nephews – so it is disgraceful when you look at the bigger impact this has had. If I could go back in time then I wouldn’t behave in the same way. Everything has changed, our lives, our way of seeing things and the way people see us.”

Appeal court judges also dropped the five-year ASBO punishment and gave the duo a two-year conditional discharge, after nearly 3,000 people joined an online petition against the severity of the sentences.

MP Sir Nicholas Winterton said: “A number of people had written to me about their case and I brought up the matter with the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw.

“I am very strongly opposed to graffiti but the punishment that was given was excessive and inappropriate. In hindsight a community order would have been more suitable, or perhaps they could have made a contribution towards the removal of the graffiti.

“I have no doubt they have learned their lesson. For the majority of people to be deprived of your liberty is the worst possible punishment and I believe they are sorry for what they have done.”

Tom and TJ were reunited with their families in the early hours of yesterday (Tuesday).

Kath Whittaker, Tom’s grandma, said: “It is absolutely wonderful he’s back home.

“The barrister was very professional and I didn’t want to get my hopes up too soon, but when they said he was coming home it was just wonderful.

“Now it’s a matter of putting it all behind us.”

TJ’s dad, Tommy, added: “The judge said this case will go down in history because it should never have happened, they should never have gone to jail. It was a totally wrong decision in the first place.

“I am so totally relieved to have him home.”

Now thinking about their futures, TJ revealed he plans to continue with community-based work and Tom, who was due to start a graphic design degree before being jailed, said he will reapply to university next year.