A TEENAGER illegally tattooed two girls under the age of 18 in his bedroom.

Richard Florence, who is 19 and from Woodedge, Ross-on-Wye, holds no such licence to draw body art.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of tattooing a person under 18 for a reason other than medical when he appeared before Herefordshire Magistrates Court last Thursday.

The court was told that on March 18 he agreed to tattoo two teenage girls, aged 14 and 15, in his bedroom.

Amy Davies, prosecuting, said he put a capital R on one of the girl’s thigh in black ink and then two intertwined hearts with a design underneath in black ink on the other girl’s thigh.

She said he has no tattoo licence and both girls were under the age of 18.

Miss Davies added that Florence had bought a tattoo kit from the internet for £60 and had added equipment to it bringing its new value to around £300.

When he was asked if he knew it was an offence to tattoo someone under the age of 18, he said he did not, but he does now.

She added: “He did not force or pressure them to have them.”

He confirmed he changed needles between the tattoos and that he has a box to dispose of the needles correctly.

He also, magistrates heard, takes hygiene safety very seriously.

Emma Prosser, defending, said: “This incident has had a profound effect on Mr Florence.

"He takes matters very seriously.

"He genuinely thought he was going to prison for this.

"He has had quite a lot of backlash from the parents concerned.”

She said he had sometimes drawn tattoos for peers of a similar age but that he had never made one for someone under the age of 18 before.

Miss Prosser said Florence is a man of previous good character, who lives with his parents and other siblings, and who works part time as a tree cutter.

Magistrates fined him £200 and ordered him to pay £135 court costs and a victim surcharge of £30.

He was allowed to keep his tattoo kit but told that it was strictly for personal use.