Court sentences unlicensed tattooist

An unlicensed tattooist has been given an 18-month conditional discharge after pleading guilty to two offences.

Owen Wood (aged 21) was prosecuted by Bury Council’s environmental health officers, who had received a complaint from a man who Wood had tattooed on 17 February 2013 at 86 Holland Street, Radcliffe.

The council’s records showed that neither Wood nor the premises were registered, which they must be by law. A warrant of entry was granted and council officers and the police visited the Holland Street premises on 14 March 2013. They found Wood there, about to do a tattoo on another male. This was stopped and the equipment was seized.

Wood, of Newmarket Street, Little Lever, pleaded guilty at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates Court (on 27 June 2013) to being an unregistered tattooist trading out of an unregistered premise. He received an 18-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay council costs of £1,182.30 plus a £15 victim surcharge.

A council spokesman said: "Tattooists and their premises must be registered with the local authority. Environmental health officers inspect to ensure that premises and practitioners reach the required standards of hygiene. When breaches of hygiene exist there is a risk of infection and blood borne disease such as HIV, hepatitis B and C. Tight controls are also enforced on the disposal of their clinical waste such as used needles and blood-stained tissues. We will continue to take action against unlicensed traders of all kinds in order to protect the public of Bury."

ENDS

Press release issued: 1 July 2013.