‘Violent criminals shouldn’t be tattoo artists’

A group of tattoo artists is calling for tougher rules to be introduced to prevent people convicted of violent and sexual crimes from entering the profession.

Nottingham tattooists Natasha Thompson and Matthew Castle are among the founders of the “Draw the Line” project, which is campaigning for a mandatory DBS check for tattoo artists in England.

Checks are already required in Wales after being introduced in 2024 as part of wider health and safety reforms for the tattoo industry. However this is not mandatory in England.

The Department of Health and Social Services has been contacted for comment.

To obtain a tattoo license as an individual artist in England, you must apply to your local council to register yourself and your premises before paying a registration fee at the rate set by the local authority.

A council officer will then inspect the premises to ensure you comply with health and safety regulations but will not need to carry out background checks on individual performers.

This differs from Wales’ system, which was updated in November 2024 to introduce stricter hygiene rules and mandatory DBS checks for tattoos.

The Welsh Government said the checks allowed local authorities to see if an applicant had any unspent convictions or “relevant” offences, which faced further scrutiny.

The Draw the Line campaign is arguing for Wales’ rules to be applied to England.

Mr Castle, 37, said the existing rules were “very relaxed” and allowed anyone to “pick up a tattoo machine and start a business”.

He and Miss Thompson have co-owned Bleeding Hearts Tattoo Studio in Bakersfield since 2024 and have been tattooing for more than six years.

The couple argue that people with a history of serious violent or sexual offenses should not be able to get a tattoo license and hope that mandatory DBS checks will prevent this.

They have petitioned the government for the changes, along with others across England, including Wigan-based tattoo artist Gemma May Farimond.

Their petition currently has 5,000 signatures, of which 100,000 are needed to be debated in Parliament.

Miss Farrimond, who says she has previously been attacked by a tattoo artist, has been posting on social media calling for stricter regulations in the industry.

She said Bleeding Hearts engaged with her post, and the three decided to develop the campaign.

“When I was approached [Bleeding Hearts]We got our group together and there was more reach and momentum,” she said.

“This campaign doesn’t just affect tattoo artists. Your son or daughter might get a dangerous tattoo on someone – it affects the whole population.”

Mr Castle said the “necessary push” to launch the petition came when Mansfield and Chesterfield-based tattoo artist Ashley Lillyman, 30, was found guilty of 14 counts of sexual assault against several of her clients.

He was sentenced to six years and four months in prison in August.

Mr Castle said the news had come as a shock to him.

“I thought so [the campaign] For a while, but hearing something like this so close to home – it felt very real,” he said.

“As a human being, you want your clients to feel as safe as possible, but there are people getting tattoos with bad intentions… it’s scary.

“We are in a perceived position of power as tattoo artists, and that needs to be respected.”

‘Customers are vulnerable’

Miss Thompson, 31, said she hoped the DBS check could keep people like Lillyman out of the industry.

“When you’re getting a tattoo, it’s a vulnerable experience for clients, especially in intimate spaces,” she said.

“You might be getting tattoos on your thighs or thighs and breasts. You’re exposed in that situation, and you need to feel safe.”

He said DBS checks were a necessary requirement in other professions and tattoos should be no different.

“If you’re a nurse, care-worker or teacher, you need these checks because you’re dealing with vulnerable people,” she said. “The same should be true for tattoos.

“We are not trying to punish people who have been convicted of crimes that are not relevant, or who have committed minor mistakes when they were young.

“We are focusing on certain types of offenses that threaten customer safety. Councils can then make their own decisions about whether to offer a license to an artist. [previous convictions].”

Customers who are at risk of abuse are not the only ones getting tattoos.

Siobhan, who gave her first name and chose to remain anonymous, told the BBC she was sexually assaulted in 2011 after being offered an apprenticeship by a tattooist in Berkshire.

On her first day as an apprentice, she expected to enter a busy studio, but instead, found herself in an empty shop.

“We go into the studio, and he closes the door behind us. It’s just me and him,” she said.

“As soon as those doors close, that’s it. [He started] Twirling my hair…holding it. Holding me to the wall by my neck.

“He went to put his hand down my underwear, and at that point I jumped. Flight, fear and the fridge kicked in.”

Siobhan, then 19, also remembers the artist describing in detail his behavior towards other trainees.

“He told me about his previous apprentices, young girls, and how he was with”[sexual acts] on tap” and he had certain expectations of the apprentices,” she said.

“I’m pretty sure the tattoo bed mentioned me having sex with him. I wasn’t there for that. I really wanted that apprenticeship. He was happy to take advantage.”

Siobhan reported the incident to Thames Valley Police but the force said the investigation was halted due to “insufficient evidence”.

Reflecting on her experience, Siobhan says she believes there are not enough checks on tattoo artists and the lack of regulation has made it a “wild west”.

Siren Studio is a tattoo studio in Sneinton made up of exclusively female and non-binary artists.

Eleanor Bishop runs the space and said most of her clients come to her because they’re worried about getting tattoos elsewhere.

“Many of our clients have come to us saying they’ve had negative experiences with tattoo artists,” she said.

“Whether it’s being uncomfortable to touch, getting a tattoo they don’t want, and in some cases being sexually assaulted.

“We are aware of tattoo artists who have been convicted of serious crimes, who then open a studio in a different city under a new name, and they can continue tattooing.”

“DBS checks should prevent that from happening. Why wouldn’t you want your customers to be protected? I don’t think so. [the checks] It’s a problem unless you have nothing to hide.”

Miss Thompson said she believed DBS checks would put the industry in the “right direction”.

“Do DBS checks fix everything? No, but they are a start,” she said.

“They are a great first step in solving these problems and making it safer for artists, apprentices and customers.”

The Department of Health and Social Services has been contacted for comment.

If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, support and information is available at BBC’s Action Line.

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