A tattooist known as ‘Dr Evil’ who removed nipples and performed tongue splitting on clients has been jailed after an ear removal sparked an investigation that resulted in a 40-month jail sentence.
Dr Evil, real name Brendan McCarthy, was sentenced to three years and four months for carrying out procedures such as ear and nipple removals at his studio in Wolverhampton between 2012 and 2015. The controversial modifications were carried out without anaesthetic.
West Midlands Police started an investigation into the tattooist when images of McCarthy cutting off a customer’s ear circulated online, sparking complaints to the City of Wolverhampton Council.
McCarthy pled guilty to three counts of causing grievous bodily harm at the Wolverhampton Crown Court last month and was sentenced on Thursday. Media reports state that he screamed when his sentence was read out, and many of his supporters in the court cried.
“He had no qualifications to carry out surgical procedures or to deal with any adverse consequences which could have arisen,” Judge Amjad Nawaz said. “There is a clear public interest element. There is also a need for deterrent.”
When he was arrested, McCarthy said he didn’t think he had broken the law because his clients had consented to the procedures. He has no medical qualifications and is licensed to carry out piercings and tattoos. Police said he did the modifications without knowing his clients’ medical or mental health backgrounds, and that they found out-of-date swabs, anaesthetic gel and needles at his studio.
We all gave full consent, we were all happy, he talked us through the procedure, we knew he wasn't a doctor despite playing on the Austin powers name of Dr Evil, he's one of the best in the country I had multiple discussions with him about how the industry needs regulation,” one of his customers said.
Ezechiel Lott, the man whose ear removal sparked the investigation, told police he hadn't realised the procedure wasn’t legal and felt “deceived.”
Over 13,000 people signed a petition in support of McCarthy, whose lawyers argued the consent he got from clients was a lawful defense. His case was brought to the Court of Appeal but three judges found the procedures were not the same as tattoos and piercings.