The teenager who sprayed illegal graffiti across walls in Keighley has called for council-funded graffiti groups.

Matthew Roberts wants the authorities to provide walls where young people can spray without getting in trouble.

And he insists his daubings – mostly multi-coloured dinosaur heads – are art rather than criminal damage. The Bradford College art and design student said his actions were to raise the profile of graffiti art.

Matthew, 19, from Highfield, caused a storm earlier this month with his spray-painting spree around town. He painted Yoshi – a dinosaur character from the Super Mario videogames – at eight locations around Keighley. His pictures next to Reids bookshop in Caven-dish Street sparked controversy because they were dedicated to Keighley Town Council.

Matthew, who tags himself “Retro” in his graffiti, received eight cautions from police.

Matthew told the Keighley News he had not really thought about the illegality of his actions or that it would offend people.

He said: “That was just to get graffiti in the public eye. It’s not really vandalism. I’m not a little thug going round tagging for nothing. “There are going to be some people who hate it – but most people seem to like it. I wanted to brighten up things. I want people to smile.”

He dedicated his graffiti to Keighley Town Council because he wanted its members – and other politicians – to support graffiti.

He said: “They should embrace the art side and start groups. There should be whitewashed walls in Keighley where you could do it legally.

“They could have a council-run session. It will definitely get the kids off the street.”

Matthew taught himself graffiti art and for the past 10 years he has attended sessions at Keighley arts group Small World, which earlier this year controversially commissioned a convicted graffiti vandal to pass on his art skills to children.

Matthew passionately believes that Small World should receive council funding to teach graffiti to more local youngsters.

Matthew said he was in talks with two of his graffiti targets – Holycroft Primary School and Keighley Market – to carry out more artwork.

He said: “I won’t be getting paid for any of it. It won’t be teaching anything illegal at Holycroft, just how to do art. The market like my work. They wanted me to get people back into the market. We want to get Keighley more recognised.”

Matthew said he would not carry out any more illegal spray-painting.