A “doting” father died after contracting a serious infection from a tattoo he got in a makeshift tattoo studio inside a garden shed, an inquest heard.
Ben Larry of Middlebank Road, Ormesby, died on May 6 last year, after Tony James Learmount, who operated from a shack in his back garden, gave him a tattoo.
An inquest into the death of the 32-year-old man, described by his family as “loved by everyone”, concluded his leg became infected after the tattoo and led to multiple organ failure.
A 35-year-old man was arrested in connection with Larry’s death, but the case was dropped due to “evidential difficulties.”
But this didn’t stop local licensing bosses from going after tattoo artist Tony James Learmount, successfully prosecuting him for tattooing in unlicensed premises.
Father Ben Larry, who contracted sepsis after receiving a tattoo from an unlicensed artist
The makeshift tattoo studio run by Tony James Learmount from his back garden in Middlesbrough
The studio was not licensed and Learmount had been banned from tattooing by the same council in 2018.
Teesside Coroner’s Court heard Mr Larry’s case the leg became infected after the tattoo; toAssistant coroner Paul Appleton concluded he died from multiple organ failure caused by the infection.
He said: “This infection was secondary to the tattoo Benjamin had received on his right leg on May 1, 2023. That tattoo was done at an unregistered premises.”
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “Following a police investigation, it was decided that due to evidentiary difficulties there would be no prosecution in respect of the death of a 32-year-old man.”
But after Middlesbrough Council launched a case against Learmount, hIn January this year, he was found guilty of operating out of an unregistered garden shed to perform tattoos.
Prosecutor Thomas Durance said on May 9 last year that Cleveland Police contacted public protection officers from Middlesbrough Council following the death of a man from sepsis.
Mr Durance told the court: “The infection had originally developed around the area of a new tattoo.
“Cleveland Police investigated and this led to confirmation that the tattoo artist was Mr Tony James Learmount of Donington Green, Middlesbrough, the same location where the tattoo had been done.”
The council’s case was tried in Learmount’s absence and magistrates fined the tattoo artist £1,000 and ordered him to pay a £400 victim surcharge and £300 to cover the council’s costs.
Middlesbrough Council previously circulated images of Learmount’s studio after it successfully took him to court over his unlicensed tattoos.
Environmental health officials previously warned that Learmount’s work posed “a significant risk of harm to human health” (pictured: his studio).
Cleveland police previously issued a warning to the public about the dangers of unlicensed tattoo artists, urging people to check the Body Art registry before visiting a tattoo artist.
Teesside Live reports that Learmount was prevented from trading to protect public health, and anyone who had been tattooed by him was advised to contact their GP.
The council took action in 2018 after receiving complaints from the public about its hygiene standards at several locations in Middlesborough.
When environmental health officials investigated, they found that Learmount posed “a risk of significant harm to human health.”
The judges issued an order preventing him from practicing the profession of tattoo artist with immediate effect.
Following Ben’s tragic death, his parents said: ‘Our precious, adored, kind and caring son was loved by everyone. He touched so many hearts.
‘No parent should lose a child, no child should lose their dad and no grandparent should lose a grandchild.
“Our hearts are broken, we are so fortunate to have our two beautiful grandchildren to keep his legacy and our memories of him alive.”