A rogue tattooist whose unlicensed work was linked to the death of a man from sepsis continued to carry out cut-price inkings from his living room - despite being banned.
Ben Larry, 32, died in May 2023 after he was given a leg tattoo by Tony Learmount, who had been operating from a shack in his back garden in Middlesborough.
His leg became infected after the tattoo work which then developed into multiple organ failure.
Learmount was branded 'a risk of significant harm to human health' and later fined £1,700 for running an unlicensed tattoo studio.
Now it has emerged that despite being banned in the wake of Mr Larry's death, the father of two continued playing his illicit trade from a new address - leaving another infected customer requiring antibiotics.
Shocking pictures taken by Middlesbrough Council officers show the squalid conditions his work took place in - with tattoo equipment crammed into grubby drawers in a living room.
Another image shows cheap disposable razors - used to shave skin before tattooing - strewn across the top of the stained cabinet.
Learmount - who was not prosecuted over Mr Larry's death because of 'evidential difficulties' - was last week handed a suspended sentence after admitting tattooing while banned and failing to register properly.
Mr Larry's devastated father said he was 'disgusted' to learn Learmount had continued to operate after his son's death.
Nigel Larry said: 'It's diabolical. I just can't understand it. He just keeps getting away with it.
'I don't understand why people are still going to him, when they know what happened to Ben.
'When's he going to get his comeuppance? He just keeps going.'
The inquest into Mr Larry's death concluded that his leg became infected after the tattoo work, which then progressed into multiple organ failure.
Learmount later hit back at critics, claiming Mr Larry was a 'close friend' and that his death was not his fault.
He said: 'Just like with getting a tattoo from anywhere, there's always risk of infection.
'He was a close friend of mine and it has affected me. I don't even like to mention his name anymore because of it.
'It is traumatic and I'm getting threats and I've already had to pull my children out of school for two days because people are telling them their dad is a murderer.
'A lot of the threats are online too and the comments are saying I should have been done for manslaughter.'
Learmount, who described himself as an 'experienced' tattoo artist who once ran 'two studios', has generated complaints to the council dating back to 2013.
He was also stopped from trading in 2018 - when those tattooed by him were urged to contact their GP.
Middlesbrough Council's public protection team said it took further action after complaints were made in September 2024 that he was still tattooing.
He was taken to court where he was last week handed a 34-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
The case had been delayed after Learmount claimed he had been working offshore and sent what was described as 'a photo of a beach-like setting in an e-mail'.
The Daily Mail however found him living in a terraced house in the deprived North Ormesby area of Middlesbrough, where a neighbour on a nearby street told how she was tattooed by him for just £20.
Showing off the faded ink near her collarbone, she said: ‘He came around to my house with his ink gun. It was about 10 years ago - it cost me £20.
‘A lot of people around here have had tattoos from him over the years. On Facebook, his name comes up when people ask for local tattoo artists.
‘People take the risk because it is so cheap. You can get an infection from anything - even in a proper tattoo shop.’
Learmont peered out of an upstairs window from his home in Jubilee Street but refused to open his front door when approached for comment.
When asked if was still tattooing, he responded: ‘If you don’t go, I’m going to call the police. This is harassment.’
A registered tattoo artist working nearby described Learmount’s artworks as ‘dogs’.
He said: ‘They are dirt cheap - he’ll do tattoos for pennies, whatever money he’s offered.
‘But people get what they pay for, don’t they?’
Facebook posts from unhappy customers also appear to chart complaints about Learmount’s work over the years.
One wrote: ‘Tony Learmount tattooed me a couple of years ago and it was s - not what I asked for at all. Total rush job!’
Following Mr Larry’s death, Learmount was branded ‘a risk of significant harm to human health’ and later fined £1,700 for running an unlicensed tattoo studio.
Following his conviction, Learmount must pay £500 costs and £187 in court charges while his tattooing equipment was forfeited and ordered to be destroyed.
Cllr Ian Blades, executive member for neighbourhoods at Middlesbrough Council, said: ‘Tony Learmount ignored the law and put people at risk.
‘I want to send a simple message to people in Middlesbrough - do not get a tattoo from this man.’