Watford tattooist fined for smacking girl's bottom

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45299821

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A tattoo artist who pulled a 17-year-old girl over his lap and slapped her bottom four times in front of her mother has been fined £500.

Andrew Booth, 47, had "grossly misjudged" the situation at his tattoo studio in Watford on 6 January, St Albans Crown Court heard.

Judge Michael Kay QC called his behaviour "extraordinary" but said that there had been no sexual element.

Booth, of Pickets Close, Bushey, pleaded guilty to assault by beating.

The court was told after discovering she was too young to have a tattoo, the girl had "rolled her eyes" at her mother. Booth then pulled the teenager towards him.

The girl then jokingly remarked "do you want me to sit on your lap?" and Booth pulled her across his lap and smacked four times as her mother looked on, the court heard.

Booth, who has run his business for more than 30 years, accepted his behaviour was inappropriate and wished to apologise to the girl, the court was told.

Passing sentence, the judge said Booth had mistakenly thought he was being funny but that the girl "said she felt embarrassed and it hurt".

He added: "It was extraordinary behaviour. It's not funny, totally inappropriate and frankly it's disgusting. You must understand you can't do it."