An unregistered tattooist working from home in Stretford has been sentenced by Manchester Magistrates’ Court after his house was searched, equipment seized, and his operation shut down.
Matthew Cooley, aged 44, formerly of Stothard Road, was fined £80 with a victim surcharge of £32 and £1,500 costs. An order was made to deprive him of all his tattooing equipment.
Mr Cooley represented himself. He said he was filing for insolvency and had lost his business and his home. The magistrates said that the offences were not ‘victimless’.
Trafford Council’s Environmental Health team, with assistance from the Community Safety and Trading Standards teams and Greater Manchester Police, executed a warrant to search the property in June, following several complaints about infections and appointments not kept after deposits were paid.
Evidence was found of Mr Cooley tattooing there without the required registration. Poor practices were apparent when searching the tattoo studio. There were no handwashing facilities in the room and uncovered needles were found.
A large collection of unwrapped, discarded, needles were discovered, stored in an open plastic drinks bottle. There was no safe facility to dispose of sharps. Equipment and paraphernalia were seized by the Council.
Following an application by Trafford Council’s Community Safety Team, Manchester Magistrates’ Court authorised a closure order on the day after the search.
Mr Cooley had pleaded guilty to two charges relating to operating a tattoo business without registering the premises or himself with the local authority, at a previous court hearing in September.
The court told Mr Cooley that for the Council to consider not seeking a deprivation order – to forfeit his seized tattooing equipment and paraphernalia – he should complete an Infection Control Course, provide proof of registration, evidence of how his would sterilise his equipment, and a written procedure for operating safely in future.
Mr Cooley failed to provide this evidence.
Cllr Rose Thompson, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Communities and Safety, said:
“Tattooing can be dangerous if it is not carried out hygienically, so it was very important that this matter was dealt with in a timely manner.
“Working together in partnership, the police and the council needed to prevent any further harm being caused to people hoping to get a tattoo. We thank everyone involved in protecting the public from this potentially dangerous operation.”
Anyone who is concerned about a potentially illegal tattoo artist, or wants to check their artist is registered, can email our Environmental Health team.