An international tattoo artist sexually assaulted a customer at a Cheshire studio then fled the country.
Christos Phitides, 32, touched the woman inappropriately and asked if she wanted "any extra" in August, 2020. The victim complained but within an hour he had booked a flight back home to Cyprus and dodged justice for more than two years.
Phitides, also known as Kris Karma, was arrested at Birmingham Airport last June and has now appeared at Chester Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to sexual assault.
The tattoo artist, of Sparkhill, Birmingham, was spared prison and handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and ordered pay £2,000 victim compensation.
In a statement Cheshire Constabulary said: "The court heard how his victim, a woman, had attended a tattoo studio in Knutsford, where Phitides was working as a guest artist, to have a tattoo covered on 3 August 2020.
"As he was working on the tattoo, Phitides began to talk to the woman in a sexualised manner and touched her inappropriately, asking ‘do you want any extra’. She told him no.
"When the appointment finished, the victim spoke to the manager of the tattoo shop and disclosed the offence. Phitides was immediately told to leave, and within the hour, he had booked a return flight home to Cyprus which was scheduled to leave the next day."
He later sent a message to the studio effectively apologising and telling them to refund the payment for the tattoo to the victim and to take it out of his wages.
But on June 15, last year, Phitides returned to the UK where he was arrested at Birmingham Airport. He was formally charged and subsequently bailed with conditions.
Detective Constable Andy Cole said: “Phitides abused his position of trust as a tattoo artist and fled the country knowing full well what he had done but chose to avoid facing the consequences.
"I would like to praise the victim in this case for coming forward and having to endure with what happened to her for more than two years without justice because of Phitides immediate actions after the incident.
"I would also like to thank the management of the tattoo studio for the support they have provided to the investigation. By granting the Sexual Harm Prevention Order, he will not be able to work in any tattoo studio unsupervised.
“I hope that the securing of the SHPO allows others to have the courage to come forward to police with incidents of sexual assault knowing that they will be believed and any report will be investigated fully.”
Under the SHPO, Phitides cannot return to the UK without a prior notification requirement to police manager or probation officer and he must confirm his arrival and place of residence within 24 hours.
He cannot work in the UK as a tattoo artist without notice and another member of staff must be present in the room to supervise him. Anyone who wishes to make a report of sexual assault can do so via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/
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