A tattooist charged with breaching health and safety laws while operating from his home address had his case adjourned, after telling a court he was working and living abroad.
Tony James Learmount wrote to officials at Teesside Magistrates’ Court describing how he was working offshore, and sent a photo of a beach-like setting in an email.
The defendant, who failed to show up for his hearing, also said in the document that he did not tattoo anymore, the court heard. The 37-year-old, from Donnington Green, Middlesbrough, is charged with contravening a health and safety at work prohibition notice last year which barred him from tattooing at his home address until the premises had been registered and inspected.
It is also alleged that he failed to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment, arising out of or in connection with his conduct on or before 19 September 2024.
A solicitor representing Middlesbrough Council described how the matter had been ongoing for more than a year, and its preference was for him to appear in person in court so matters could be dealt with. The case was adjourned until 6 January next year, with magistrates warning that he was compelled to attend, otherwise a warrant would be issued for his arrest.
Learmount was found guilty of operating a makeshift tattoo studio from an unregistered garden shed in 2024, after a customer died from sepsis. A previous court hearing was told from prosecutor Thomas Durance that on 9 May 2023, public protection officers from Middlesbrough Council were contacted by Cleveland Police following the death of the customer from sepsis.
He told the court: “The infection had originally developed around the area of a new tattoo. Cleveland Police investigated and this led to confirmation of the tattooist being Mr Tony James Learmount of Donnington Green, Middlesbrough. The same location where the tattoo had taken place.”
The court heard police visited the property, seized equipment and arrested Learmount. Photographs were taken of the shed which showed the defendant was operating a make-shift tattoo studio. Learmount was fined £1000, and made to pay a £400 victim surcharge and £300 court costs.
Police previously released a tribute to Ben Larry, 32, who died on 6 May last year after contracting a serious infection, and issued a warning to the public of the dangers of unlicensed tattooists, urging people to check the Body Art register prior to visiting a tattooist. His devastated family described him as a “precious, adored, kind and caring son who was loved by everyone.”
Also in 2018, Learmount was stopped from trading to protect public health and anyone with a tattoo inked by him was advised to contact their GP. The action was taken by Middlesbrough Council following complaints from members of the public about the artist’s hygiene standards when carrying out work at addresses in Rainsford Crescent, in Thorntree, and Park Lane, central Middlesbrough.
