Man with obscene tattoo has 'no regrets' despite police ordering him to cover up

A man whose tattoo was deemed so offensive that police demanded he conceal it or risk arrest has declared he has "no regrets".

Richard Hart, 60, crafted the provocative design himself, which features a graphic image of a naked woman from his chest to his midriff. He spent four hours in a tattoo shop getting the artwork done for £55.

Despite being confronted by officers while on a Spanish getaway in May 2003 and warned to cover up or face arrest, Richard stands firm, reports the Mirror, claiming "no regrets" and asserting that most people admire the ink he got in Benidorm.

The former pub owner from Swansea said: "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."

During his vacation in Spain, Richard found himself in hot water due to his tattoo. He recounted: "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 from Abergavenny in South Wales, has gained local fame for 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 from Manchester has expressed regret over her body art. Rose Nicholson, aged 32, told The Mirror she would remove all her 25 tattoos if possible.

She explained her change of heart saying: "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."

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