A tattooist who ran a dirty unofficial parlour that put customers at risk was exposed after two children were inked there.
Investigators found dirty needles, dog and human hair on the floor and mouldy food lying next to equipment at Mark Evans' back street business. Newcastle Crown Court heard the premises had no proper wash basins and there was a bag of needles with a sterility date that had expired years before.
The court heard officials had first visited the premises, at Frobisher Street, Hebburn, South Tyneside in April 2019 but Evans assured them he was not running a commercial business. In August 2019 two girls, who were both under 16, were tattooed there and the building was searched under a warrant.
