NEWS THAT vandals have targeted schools in Perth and Kinross a staggering 1200 times in just three years has been branded “saddening and disgusting” by a politician.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser hit out after figures obtained by The Courier under freedom of information laws revealed a frightening catalogue of destruction.

The public purse has taken a £200,000 hit due to the actions of mindless thugs.

Ironically CCTV systems put in place to deter the vandals have been among the items targeted.

Security fences have also been ripped down and countless windows broken.

Thousands of pounds has also been spent on removing graffiti.

An average of 414 incidents were recorded over each of the last three years at nurseries, primaries and secondaries throughout Perth and Kinross.

Mr Fraser called for the “brainless” individuals responsible to face the full force of the law.

Congratulating The Courier for highlighting the issue, he also called for a campaign to be launched in a concerted bid to combat vandalism.

“It is disgusting and saddening to learn that there have been 1200 cases of vandalism to Perth and Kinross schools over the past three years.

“Vandalism in any form is appalling but to target schools is particularly disgraceful.

“Schools bring so many positives to a community yet these acts of vandalism have cost the local taxpayer over £200,000.

“I believe that anyone caught damaging schools should have the full consequences of the law handed down to them for their crimes.

“We must not under- estimate the negative impact that vandalism has on the local community.”

Mr Fraser added that a partnership approach should be taken in a co-ordinated bid to eradicate anti-social behaviour.

“I know that Tayside Police are doing all they can to stamp out vandalism and I want to see a partnership between local communities and the police in order to stop these acts,” he said.

“There must be a campaign to combat these needless and brainless crimes and I congratulate The Courier for highlighting this issue.”

Figures obtained by The Courier showed that there were 455 recorded incidents of vandalism in 2005 at a cost of nearly £68,000.

While the actual number of attacks fell by 39 to 416 in 2006, the bill rose to £72,000.

Despite a further drop in 2007, to 371 incidents, the cost of repairing damage mirrored the previous year’s figure.

Kinross High and Perth High were among the worst affected by vandalism, although local primaries did not escape with Alyth and Tulloch regular targets.

A spokeswoman for Perth and Kinross Council called on members of the public to act if they witnessed vandals at work and insisted the authority would act “robustly”.

“We have taken steps to increase security measures where specific schools have been targeted repeatedly, installing equipment such as motion sensor lights, CCTV cameras and fencing,” she said.

“The council will continue to act to address this issue in a robust way.”