Tattoo parlour was 'dirty, unhygienic' bedroom on Bransholme
A MAN who ran an illegal tattoo business from a dirty bedroom has been fined more than £1,000.
Simon Webb, 30, practised on pigskin and used a baby bottle steriliser to clean needles in his mould-infested bathroom.
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Inked: Simon Webb, who ran an illegal tattoo parlour from his house in Bransholme, and one of the tattoos he said he did.
Self-taught Webb used his personal Facebook page to promote his work.
Photographs of tattoos he is said to have carried out are still accessible.
A photo album entitled "Tattoos I've done" includes 66 images.
He also posted: "I've just started doing my own tattoos, here is some of my work."
Hull City Council's environmental health officers raided his property in Weymouth Close, Bransholme, after receiving a tip-off about the Facebook page.
City councillor John Hewitt, portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and families, said: "Mr Webb was not only breaking the law, but putting people's health at risk from serious infection, including the transfer of viruses that can be life- limiting.
"By undercutting and discouraging people from using registered tattooists in the city, he put young people and people on low incomes at particular risk and undermined legitimate businesses."
Officers found a dog in the "dirty and unhygienic" bedroom where Webb would carry out the work. There was also cleaning equipment in his bathroom, which contained dirty washing and had mould on the tiles.
In his bedroom, there was a baby bottle steriliser on the floor, which was being used to sterilise equipment.
Officers seized five bags of tattooing equipment that had been purchased online.
Environmental health officers said sterilisation and disinfection methods were "below any acceptable standard" and they were "alarmed" to find a dog in the room where he worked.
By law, tattooists must be registered with the local authority and comply with health and safety legislation.
Webb pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Local Government Act (Miscellaneous Provisions) when he appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court.
He was fined £500, must pay £500 in costs and a £15 victims' surcharge.
On the day of his court appearance, he posted on Facebook: "Well lets see what the events of today bring."
The court heard he was self-taught and had first practised on pigskin and then friends and family.
Some of the images on his Facebook page include his own tattoos, one posted in November 2009 with the caption: "My latest tattoo, I did this on my own forearm," before adding: "Quite difficult to tattoo ones self."
Another, posted in October 2009, has the caption: "This was the third tattoo I did, third day after getting my tattoo equipment. This is my brother's back."
107 Comments
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by sgwebb
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 11:47AM
“@godbur
I have never denied my guilt or remorse, I am not proud of what Ive done.
The only thing I disagree with is people referring to my home or living area as scabby, now obviously as proven it may not be hygienic enough to tattoo from but that doesn't mean as a home it can be called scabby, I appreciate constructive comments like yours because you are basing it on the article written and that's your right to sound your opinion.
Not all the facts were stated in the article and some of them untrue,however i do not nor will i ever deny my guilt or take any pleasure from it.”
by Godbur
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 9:56AM
“Simon, you broke the law by running an illegal business, weren't trained or registered, broke H&S legislation so could have put peoples health at serious risk.
You pleaded guilty (no doubt on legal advice in an attempt to reduce the fine) because there was so much evidence against you, even leaving a trail of it yourself on Facebook!
But you still appear to believe that you have done nothing wrong? You and your supporters on here just don't seem to get it.”
by sgwebb
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 8:52PM
“For the record the room was not unhygienic when tattooing, it was reported to be that way because E.H.O turned up when i was in bed, is your room spotless after a 12 hour shift when youve come home , stripped off and jumped straight into bed nackered?”
by Preebo
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 8:50PM
“Why would anyone want to have their one and only body, indelibly marked for the rest of their lives by someone in some dirty unhygienic bedroom on Bransholme?
Why oh why?”
by sgwebb
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 7:22PM
“@bonepicker
cheers pal
@C_M_Parker
Thank you very much”
by C_M_Parker
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 10:39AM
“people judge you whether you have done bad or good, some people on here were against me after being on the front page for my old alcohol addiction, its just the way life is, Simon you yourself know the truth that is whats important :) I love tattoes & have a fair few myself I dont believe you have done anything wrong, many people do this to earn a bit of cash or further there hobby into a career, nice ink by the way.”
by zziplex1
Sunday, February 05 2012, 8:42PM
“Mark_Hull_65, yes a good question !, Im 58 and have a few tattoos and have had an earing since the age of 15 ,im sure someone could let us know how long this should be acceptable. *looks down at my winklepickers and skin tight jeans* :)”
by bonepicker
Sunday, February 05 2012, 7:03PM
“simon mate dont look at all these comments be they for or against you, just get on with your life and put it all behind you it will only eat away at you,just put it down to a life experience be it right or wrong you have paid for it now so forget it and move forward.”
by sgwebb
Sunday, February 05 2012, 5:43PM
“I have been given information by a very reliable source that I will never tattoo again, whilst I have sworn to never tattoo from home again I had hoped maybe naively that I could train to be a professional eventually. Rest assured that this source is extremely reliable.
Punishment served.............................................................”
by sgwebb
Saturday, February 04 2012, 10:26PM
“I have roughly 45 tattoos, i have my eyebrow pierced,nipple,tregus and ear lobe.......i'm 30 years old and don't give a flying **** what anyone thinks, its my body
no-one has to look at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!”