Perth 'Joker' claims charges are over 'prophetic art'

A Perth man who faced court dressed as a supervillain claims his alleged graffiti was part of an art performance.

Reece Sturgeon, who dressed in makeup and a suit reminiscent of comic book villain The Joker, dropped coins and laughed during his arrest.

He has been charged with criminal damage and obstructing officers after a night of what he described as "prophetic art".

"We do art and we try to make it fun and get people happy and smiling, it's great," he said.

Asked how he would plead, Sturgeon said: "We got Batman out, and we got him out in the open … we exposed the straw man too."

Sturgeon was convicted of manslaughter in 2006.

He was the driver of a stolen Mitsubishi Pajero that ploughed into a group of teenagers as they walked along Scarborough Beach Road in Perth.

A 17-year-old-boy was killed and six other teenagers injured.

Last night, Sturgeon, 38, was arrested after allegedly graffitiing a CCTV camera.

He told the magistrate today he was undertaking a street performance at the time, and that he intended to wipe the paint away when he was done.

Sturgeon claimed the performance was in protest of the government's investment into the Australian military.

"It's just a bit of paint, it will rub off," he said outside court.

He is set to face court again in two weeks.