Genital piercings: tattooists avoid jail for sexually assaulting girls
Two Melbourne tattooists who sexually assaulted girls while performing genital piercings have avoided immediate jail time.
Dandenong tattooist Mark Andrew Ford, 50, told two girls aged 13 and 15 that his brother Gregory Alan Ford, 53, could carry out the genital piercings they wanted, the Victorian County Court was told.
In order to perform the piercings, Gregory Ford was required to stimulate the genital area for several minutes, the court heard.
Neither of the men asked the girls how old they were.
Both men pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Wendy Wilmoth, said the sexual penetration of a child was a very serious offence.
"In this unusual case, the penetration of each child was carried out at the child's request, and in pursuit of something which might be called a fashion or a fad," Judge Wilmoth said.
"A child under 16 years is, of course, incapable in law of consenting to such a procedure."
Judge Wilmoth noted the offences happened in 2001 and 2007 respectively and the Fords' business Tattoo City no longer performed intimate piercings, regardless of the age of the customer.
She sentenced the men to two years and six months in prison, wholly suspended for three years.
Dandenong tattooist Mark Andrew Ford, 50, told two girls aged 13 and 15 that his brother Gregory Alan Ford, 53, could carry out the genital piercings they wanted, the Victorian County Court was told.
In order to perform the piercings, Gregory Ford was required to stimulate the genital area for several minutes, the court heard.
Neither of the men asked the girls how old they were.
Both men pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Wendy Wilmoth, said the sexual penetration of a child was a very serious offence.
"In this unusual case, the penetration of each child was carried out at the child's request, and in pursuit of something which might be called a fashion or a fad," Judge Wilmoth said.
"A child under 16 years is, of course, incapable in law of consenting to such a procedure."
Judge Wilmoth noted the offences happened in 2001 and 2007 respectively and the Fords' business Tattoo City no longer performed intimate piercings, regardless of the age of the customer.
She sentenced the men to two years and six months in prison, wholly suspended for three years.
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