Police investigate graffiti allegation in Portsmouth that a man was shot on a golf course over £10,000

A probe was launched after the spray-painted vandalism referred to someone called Simon who ‘shot a man’ for £10,000.

It goes on to say the man was buried in a quarry at Petersfield 30 years ago.

As reported by The News, the damage appeared overnight on March 23 - turning heads as people arrived for court in the morning.

Now Hampshire police have said they are looking into both who carried out the vandalism, and the allegations made in it.

A police spokeswoman said: ‘We are investigating a report of criminal damage following a report of graffiti on a building in Winston Churchill Avenue. Investigations are ongoing.

‘Anyone with information is asked to call us on 101, quoting 44180108148.’

Asked if officers were looking into the allegations made in the vandalism, she added: ‘It’s all part of the investigation.’

As reported the message said Simon ‘shot a man on the Golf links for 10 grand he won in a betting shop’.

The writing, which has since been cleaned off, started on the side of the building then continued under windows as the building runs parallel to Winston Churchill Avenue.

It also talked of how an ‘old man use to chuck a pound out his window whenever the ice cream van come’.

The graffiti ended saying: ‘Simon buried him at the quarry at Petersfield 30 years ago.’

* The News previously incorrectly said this graffiti was on the Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court building. It was spray-painted on the Crown Prosecution Service building Crown House, which is attached to the court.