Man with tattoo so obscene police ordered him to cover up
A man's tattoo was deemed so offensive that police officers demanded he cover up his torso. Richard Hart, 60, took personal charge in designing the provocative piece, which features a graphic depiction of a naked woman across his body, extending from chest to midriff.
The artwork, which took four hours to complete at a local tattoo shop and cost £55, has been a source of controversy since its creation.
Despite an encounter with law enforcement during a May 2003 holiday in Spain, where he was warned to cover up or risk arrest, the retiree maintains a no-regrets stance, convinced that the tattoo is generally well-received.
READ: Tattoo-addict mum can't learn to drive as instructors 'too scared to get in car' Melissa Sloan, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, believes she is the 'world's most tattooed person'
READ: I have 25 tattoos and regretted every single one by the time I was 30 Rose Nicholson, 32, got her first tattoo at 19 and continued to add to her collection until she was 27 years old – but now she 'hates' them all
The former bar owner recounted his inspiration for the tattoo, saying: "I got the idea after seeing the brother of my tattooist with a naked lady tattooed on him. I thought I could go one further. Obviously it is a bit obscene, but it never bothers me. The reaction to it varies, it's either shock, horror, or laughter."
However, Richard's bold body art did cause a stir while vacationing in Benidorm. He shared the incident: "I was in Benidorm and it was boiling hot, I took my top off and two police came and told me to cover up or they would handcuff me. We got into a bit of an argument - I had to wear a T-shirt for the rest of the holiday."
Richard, a former pub owner, has become a bit of a local legend thanks to his distinctive tattoo. He quipped: "If I had a pound for everyone who has asked to have a photo with it I'd be a very rich man. My partner thinks it's fine, so do my daughter, Melissa, 38, and my son, Alex, 35 - I do have to cover it up in front of the grandchildren though."
Meanwhile, an accountant f has expressed regret over her body art, admitting she would erase all her 25 tattoos if possible. Rose Nicholson, aged 32, told The Mirror: "I still love Harry Potter but I don't want it on my skin. I don't know why I thought it would be a good idea. I don't like the way it looks on me anymore. They don't look right with the clothes I want to wear.
"There was no attempt at design. There is no uniformity. The work isn't bad, but it's cartoon characters. By the time I was 30 I realised I hated my tattoos and wished I could take them all back."