Cypriot tattoo artist receives suspended jail sentence for sexual assault

Cypriot tattoo artist Christos Phitides, who sexually assaulted his client in Cheshire over two years ago, received a suspended jail sentence by a UK court this week.

After abusing his position of trust as a tattoo artist in the summer of 2020, Phitides, also known as Kris Karma, fled the country for two years, UK police said.

The international tattoo artist and owner of Limassol based tattoo and piercing shop Sinners Tattoo Collective, touched a client inappropriately and asked if she “wanted any extra”.

Before assaulting her, he spoke in a sexualised manner.

According to police, the woman declined his offer and informed the manager of the shop after her appointment.

The assault took place in August 2020, when the 32-year-old was working as a guest artist at a studio in Knutsford, Cheshire.

Phitides was immediately told to leave, and within the hour had booked a return flight to Cyprus which was scheduled to leave the next day.

He subsequently sent a message to the studio effectively apologising and telling them to refund the payment for the tattoo to the victim and to take it out of his wages.

But upon his return to the UK on June 15, Phitides was arrested at Birmingham Airport.

On January 11, he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £2,000 victim compensation.

British media said the order means he would not be able to work in any tattoo studio unsupervised.