Tattoo parlours have new guidelines in the hope of preventing another fiasco in which an under-age boy was given a shoddy inking.

Robin Elliott, 17, from Dymchurch, was given wonky and upside down sergeant’s stripes.

His family complained about the parlour, which is now closed.

Shepway District Council investigated and has since given new guidance to all studios in the district covering areas such as training and competence.

Robin’s furious dad, Jason Elliott, 39, said: “It looked like a five-year-old had done the tattoo and Robin was not asked for any identification at all.

“Neither was he asked to sign a consent form. There should be stronger laws against this sort of thing.”

Mum Michelle Elliott, 36, said: “I was horrified. It was the worst tattoo I’d seen.

“At first Robin didn’t mind but when people around him said how bad it was that upset him.

“The tattoo is shoddy but to me it’s not the quality of work that’s at issue but the fact that Robin was under-age.”

The Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 makes it an offence to tattoo anyone under the age of 18 except for medical reasons. Robin has no medical reasons.

He had the tattoo inked on his upper right arm at LoveTattoo in Dymchurch High Street, for £5, last August.

He had only recently turned 17 at the time and had gone into the premises with a friend who was over-18.

Robin chose sergeant’s stripes in honour of members of his family, such as uncles, who had previously served in the Armed Forces.

When Mrs Elliott saw the handiwork she complained to the authorities. Mr Elliott set up a Facebook page calling for the business to be closed down.

The LoveTattoo Hate Group grew to have 518 members but Shepway council understands that the business is now shut.

The council says that the business received a licence after going through the registration process and several visits from its environmental health team.

“I was horrified. It was the worst tattoo I’d seen" - mum Michelle Elliott

A spokesman said: “After the council received a complaint on August 12, that alleged under-age tattoos were being carried out and that the premises were unhygienic, the environmental health team made several attempts to visit the property, which were unsuccessful, and then sent a letter to the registered person at the address.

“On October 14, the council received an email saying the premises had permanently closed.

“The government has recently issued new guidance, which the council has passed on to all tattoo parlours in the district.”

This week we visited the LoveTattoo premises, at the southern end of Dymchurch High Street, but no one was there.

An inquiries telephone number was displayed on the door but when our reporter dialled it, an automated message said that calls were not being connected to it.

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