Illegal Tattoo Parlour Inking Friends For £5 Of Pocket Money

A young boy has been trapped using his bedroom as an illegal tattoo parlor to ink his friends, after advertising his services on Facebook. Up to 15 children - some as young as 13 - paid tattooist their £5 pocket money for the 'body art' while parents watched television downstairs.

Illegal practice was soon exposed after the parents of a 14-year-old girl complained to Trading Standards when she home with a tattoo on her leg. After raiding the schoolboy's bedroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, officers found a tattooist's kit under his bed with a stained 'skull and crossbones' tattoo gun and contaminated needles. They also recovered a blender for the inks, rubber gloves and tracing paper for designs including hearts, butterflies and swallows. It is believed the 15-year-old boy had attempted to sterilise the needles using household Dettol, hand gel and Savlon cream.

It is illegal in Britain to tattoo any children under 16 and it's only legal for 16 to 18-year olds if they have parental consent. The maximum sentence for those convicted of tattooing under age youngsters can be a fine of up to a £1,000 pounds. But tattoos remain popular among children who attempt to copy their celebrity heroes. Councillor Fred Jackson at Blackpool Council, said: 'It's shocking to think the risks that young people are taking using unregistered tattooists.'We work very closely with the parlours in the town to ensure that anyone having a tattoo is doing so in a safe and hygiene environment.'I understand that the equipment can be bought from as little as £50 on eBay, making it more accessible than ever to those wanting to make a quick buck.'The last thing we want is young people making a bad decision that could cause permanent damage and impact on their health.'

Source : dailymail.co.uk