Adrian Edwards

Adrian Edwards, a 57-year-old tattooist and Elvis Presley impersonator from Newport, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison after being found guilty of paying a child under 18 for sexual services. The case, heard at Newport Crown Court, centred on Edwards' exploitation of a vulnerable 16-year-old girl at his now-closed tattoo parlour, Studio One, located on Piccadilly Square in Caerphilly.

The incidents began when the underage girl approached Edwards requesting a tattoo, despite being too young to legally receive one. Edwards, aware of her age, agreed to provide the tattoo in exchange for sex. The court heard that the first encounter took place in the piercing room of the parlour, where Edwards had intercourse with the girl before administering the tattoo. Subsequent meetings involved further instances of intercourse and oral sex, with Edwards providing cash payments afterwards, which the girl used to purchase alcohol and hair extensions.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, provided emotional testimony during the trial. She stated: 'I asked him for a tattoo. I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone because I was under-age. I told him I would do anything for a tattoo. I didn’t mean like that.' She tearfully recounted how the sex occurred before she turned 18 and emphasised that 'it never should have happened.' The jury was instructed to consider only the alleged crimes committed prior to her 18th birthday, as she was legally unable to consent to payment for sex at that age.

Edwards was charged with three counts of paying a child under 18 for sex, which he denied. He claimed to police that the girl had solicited money from him on several occasions and that he had given her £100, insisting he believed his actions were not wrong, comparing them to his past experiences with adult prostitutes. However, the jury convicted him on two of the charges. Recorder Dyfed Llion Thomas, presiding over the case, condemned Edwards' behaviour, stating he had 'taken advantage of a child and treated her as a sex worker.'

In addition to the 28-month custodial sentence, Edwards received a ten-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim. The girl reported the abuse to the police in 2019, leading to Edwards' arrest and subsequent trial. This case highlights the serious nature of child sexual exploitation, with Edwards' actions occurring in a professional setting that should have provided safety.