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A man from the UK has been sentenced to three years in prison after recklessly tattooing three children with a home tattoo kit, an act that a judge criticized as “staggeringly stupid.”
In Newcastle Crown Court, Patrick Coe admitted guilt to three charges of child cruelty. As reported by ChronicleLive, his actions left the children with permanent physical reminders of his lapse in judgment.
During the sentencing, Judge Sarah Mallett expressed her disapproval, stating, “They are visibly marked with a permanent reminder of you and this. This was a staggeringly stupid and foolish thing to do and also a very harmful thing to do.”
Coe deceitfully assured the children that the tattoos were temporary and would eventually fade. However, the marks were permanent, causing the children pain and necessitating medical attention, according to the BBC.
Following the incident, the children were taken to the hospital where they underwent treatment including antibiotics, blood tests to rule out infections or diseases, and vaccinations against hepatitis B and tetanus.
One of the victims described the pain as being a seven out of 10 and reported feeling anxious after the incident, according to ChronicleLive. Meanwhile, another reported that they “hate” the tattoo and suffer from “significant anxiety and distress.” A third victim had trouble sleeping and was reportedly “upset and scared,” after the incident, according to the publication.
All three will need therapy, authorities said.
When Coe was initially confronted about his actions the court heard that he “found the whole situation hilarious.”
Judge Mallett described the 31-year-old’s actions, per the BBC, as causing “cosmetic disfigurement” and “permanent injury.”
In addition to the three year sentence, Coe has been given a 10-year restraining order.
His attorney Brian Hegarty said that Coe eventually understood the gravity of his actions.
“It’s quite staggering and defies belief he could be so foolish,” Hegarty said, a according to ChronicleLive. “He does now appreciate what he did was incredibly stupid and should not have happened.”
Oxygen reached out to the Newcastle Crown Court, but did not receive an immediate response.